‘A Spy Unmasked’ topic of May 27 lecture

Michael “Mike” Hudson, a native of Lynchburg who has worked in historic sites interpretation and historic site management for 25 years, will be the May 27 Kegley lecture speaker. His topic will be “A Spy Unmasked 250 Years Later.” In the American Revolution’s sixth summer, Col. William Preston and his independence-minded associates discovered and extinguished an ambitious Loyalist plot designed to deliver Virginia firmly into the hands of the British. The Patriot triumph marked a major turning point in Revolutionary Virginia; one that the British proved unable to reverse.

Patriot success in the Summer of 1780 played out on both sides of the Blue Ridge and was predicated largely on the cloak-and-dagger activities of a Botetourt spy. For over 240 years, this mysterious man’s identity was essentially lost to history.

Hudson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Liberty University. His academic activities have focused especially on the local history studies of Lynchburg, American Civil War pedagogy, research into the American Revolution, and Latin American cultural scholarship. He now serves as executive director of Historic Smithfield. Historic Smithfield just completed its 250th anniversary commemorations in 2024.

He is a new resident of Roanoke.

All lectures, unless otherwise noted, begin at 7 p.m. and are held at Christ Lutheran Church, 2011 Brandon Avenue, SW, Roanoke, VA 24015. Admission is free for HSWV members, $5 for others.