Palmer was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1818 and became a minister in the SouthernPresbyterian church. He served in Georgia (1841–42), South Carolina (1843-55) and New Orleans (1856-1902). He received his Doctor of Divinity degree in 1852.[4]
He advocated heavily for the secession of Louisiana from the United States to join the Confederacy, with his notorious "Thanksgiving Sermon" serving as a major catalyst for the Confederate movement.[2][5]
He died in 1902 after an accident in New Orleans.
Legacy
Palmer Park in New Orleans was named after him during Jim Crow, but due to his racist background was renamed after Ellis Marsalis Jr. on July 1, 2021.[5]