Virginia

Go behind the scenes with never before reported stories of intrigue from some of the most colorful characters in Virginia politics over the last half century.

Read about the changes that political figures have brought to the Old Dominion, from Henry Howell's legendary gubernatorial run in the 1970s through 2020's successful battle for Richmond Public Schools against the Dominion Coliseum. Along the way, see how visionaries challenged Virginia to overcome her legacy of segregation and how that history still affects our destiny today.

Hailed by the New York Times as part of "a major revolution in racial politics in America'? for running the groundbreaking campaigns of Governor Doug Wilder, author Paul Goldman has spent decades on the leading edge of Virginia politics.

Ghost stories from Virginia’s Blue Ridge Highlands have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of the highlands comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit the Bolling Wilson Hotel in Wytheville to meet its charming elderly ghost. Or head to the Inn at Wise to play with the fun-loving boys whose spirits linger in the halls. Perhaps you’ll spot the ghost horse in Abington as it gallops across the grounds of the Martha Washington Inn! Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

The Byrd Machine ran Virginia politics for more than half a century.

This political organization rose to power during the era of Jim Crow, wielding power and influence over everything from who got the nod to be governor to how the state maintained racial segregation. Inheriting its tactics from two previous political machines, the Byrd organization operated with a pathological hatred of debt spending, crushing the power of labor unions and forcing its will on Black schoolchildren protesting separate and unequal facilities. The nadir of its era was massive resistance, a move to close public schools rather than integrate them.

Journalist and author Michael Lee Pope details the rise and fall of the last great political machine in Virginia.