The Real John Graves Simcoe, British Officer
Class - In Person & Zoom | Available (Membership Required)
John Graves Simcoe is the “Villain that Everyone Loves to Hate” from the 2014 TV series Turn: Washington’s Spies. In almost every episode, Simcoe does something that leaves viewers with a desire to see him meet his end, quickly. From sticking a fork in a fellow officer’s heart during dinner to gouging out Robert Rogers’ eye during a fight, Simcoe is portrayed as the most evil and heartless figure of the Revolutionary War. Yet
most Americans never heard of John Graves Simcoe before the TV series began. Why is Simcoe so maligned? Who was the real John Graves Simcoe? Did he actually commit all the atrocities that Turn depicted? Did these horrible events really happen? We’ll explore all these scenarios in this enlightening talk on the “Real” John Graves Simcoe. No doubt you’ll be surprised at what you’ll learn!
Randolph Flood
Randy Flood is a historian and Co-Founder of the Real American Revolution, a nonprofit organization
established to educate citizens about the American Revolution. Randy began his professional career by serving on
the staff of the United States Senate and has taught courses about politics and the legislative processes at numerous
colleges in the Washington, D.C. area. Currently he resides in Williamsburg, Virginia, and is working on the
Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association to educate teachers, students, and communities about
the national historic trail where Lord Cornwallis and his British Army at Yorktown were entrapped.