More than 300 years after the harrowing and tragic events in Salem in 1692, people remain fascinated by just how 20 innocent people were murdered for crimes they did not commit, and dozens more accused and imprisoned of supposedly acting as witches. Witches have long fascinated the human psyche with powers beyond those of mere mortals. However, in Salem in 1692, the idea of witchcraft was a widespread belief that propelled other far more troubling agendas by young colonial women, the clergy, and the government.

In this in-depth illustrated talk, Carl Raymond, a direct descendant of two of the accused and executed Salem witches, along with a number of other key players in the drama, outlines exactly what happened and explains the perfect storm of reasons why. Carl shares the story of America’s first great political cover-up, a profound miscarriage of justice and a personal perspective into dealing with difficult and uncomfortable history.