Fresh from the release of his book The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia, historian Scott O. 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.

Purchase the book The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia

Eastern history professor publishes book on legendary Virginia ‘witch’

End Witch Hunts

Connecticut Witch Trial Exoneration Project

Massachusetts Witch-Hunt Justice Project

Maryland Witches Exoneration Project
Purchase the book The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood In Virginia

Author's Corner with Scott O. Moore
Witch Hunt Website