Home Authors of Cold War Virginia to speak at Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library
Arts, Culture, Travel, Local News

Authors of Cold War Virginia to speak at Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library

Rebecca Barnabi
Courtesy of Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library.

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library‘s Speaker Series resumes in October with the authors of Cold War Virginia.

Francis Gary Powers Jr. and Christopher Sturdevant will speak at the WWPL Archives and Research Center, 235 E Beverley St., Staunton, at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21.

Virginia played a central role in the United States‘ involvement during the Cold War. The location of the Pentagon, CIA and other federal agencies established Northern Virginia as the epicenter of decision-making. In 1960, the Soviet Union’s shoot-down of U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, a Virginia native, created a superpower crisis of epic proportions.

Cold War historians Powers Jr. and Sturdevant will speak on tales of espionage, heroism and betrayal.

The speaker series is free, but donations to WWPL are welcome and registration is requested online.

The talk will be available in person or via Zoom.

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.