Set in Charleston during the World Wars, The Cigar Factory follows two Catholic families whose lives intersect on different floors of a segregated tobacco plant. On the factory’s upper level, Cassie McGonegal and her niece Brigid hand-roll cigars, while downstairs Meliah Amey Ravenel stems tobacco in the basement.

Amid harsh working conditions, sexual harassment, and strict racial divisions, the women discover shared struggles that lead them to the Tobacco Workers Strike of 1945—a pivotal moment in labor history and a catalyst for unity.

Debut novelist Michele Moore draws on extensive research and family interviews to create an authentic portrait of resilience, community, and the birth of the Civil Rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.” Enhanced by a foreword from Pat Conroy, this historical novel brings Charleston’s past vividly to life.

• Themes of segregation, solidarity, and redemption
• Based on interviews with factory workers
• Foreword by Pat Conroy

We ship at a flat rate of $9.99 per order. Orders $45 and up ship free of charge.