Joyce Pope
Joyce Pope, a 2022-2023 Jenrette Intern, is the Manager of Easements and Preservation Programs for the Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF). A native of North Carolina, Joyce is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received both her undergraduate and law degrees. Her Clemson University master’s thesis, "Women Building After The Charleston Fire of 1838 Using “An Act For Rebuilding The City of Charleston” Loans” challenged accepted history, and her work today is central to HCF’s mission to safeguard the Lowcountry’s heritage.
What does it mean to occupy this intersection between law, history, and preservation?
That means, for me, the intersection of all my loves. I have always loved historic architecture, found a love for the law after law school, and so being able to work where law protects historic properties—and there’s always a question of property rights and owners exercising their rights to the fullest extent—means a lot of overlaps, and that’s a lot of fun for me to work on.
Why does this work matter now?
In terms of going into historic preservation, it’s such an important time. There is a lot changing now, and you can say that at lots of points in history for preservation’s practice, but we’re at a point where it’s so important to protect our buildings that we live around and where history has taken place. If someone can make a career out of this, as I have, it's exciting for them, it’s a great thing.
Once you get the foundation of the different dimensions of preservation practice, what doors open?
If you want to work in this field, you can work in cultural resource management, you can work for a nonprofit, you can work for a museum, a contractor, or other for-profit entities. My background was in grantmaking and I really enjoy working on easements through Historic Charleston Foundation because it allows me to work with historic architecture, sure, but also work with homeowners. A home for any owner is one of the most important things to them in their lives, so I would be happy to continue this work and stay at Historic Charleston for a long time and doing easements.
How has the Jenrette Foundation helped you along the way?
I was really lucky and I came to the Jenrette Foundation because my professor introduced me and our class to its predecessor, Classical American Homes Preservation Trust, and I was so interested in seeing how a historic preservation trust and grantmaker operated. When they had an internship open, I applied for it and really got a great experience doing research. I was able to then help other students pursue this and other opportunities, and Jenrette’s Director of Preservation Will Hamilton was kind enough to connect me to Historic Charleston Foundation, and he’s been a good mentor in terms of talking about jobs, and Vice President Kevin Cherry and Director of Operations Joe Beatty have been really great as continuing resources and people I could talk to throughout the entire process.