Lunch & Learn with Dr. Scott Moore on the history of Witch Trials in CT and Virginia
Tuesday, October 20th
13 Oenoke Ridge
Bring your sandwich, soup, salad or snack and join us for a Lunch & Learn with historian Dr. Scott Moore, Professor of History at ECSU. Scott will explore the witch trials in Connecticut and Virginia 🔍. Learn how local fears, laws, and beliefs shaped these events and what the surviving records reveal.
Fresh from the release of his book “The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia,” historian Moore joins us to uncover the true story behind colonial Virginia’s only witch trial. In 1706, Grace Sherwood faced an unusual trial by water—but what really happened, and why does it still captivate us today? Moore examines both the legend and reality of Grace Sherwood, showing how local tensions transformed neighborhood conflict into a witch trial. Learn how this singular case differed from the infamous Salem trials, and why Virginia Beach continues to grapple with Sherwood’s legacy three centuries later. From ducking stools to modern-day memorials, this episode challenges what we think we know about witch trials in America, revealing how historical memory shapes—and sometimes distorts—our understanding of the past and present.
