MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Sept. 11, 2025) — Dr. Elliot Engel returns to Piedmont Arts with the lecture, Blackbeard! Pirate Enemy Number One, on Thursday, Oct. 2.
Many know that Blackbeard has one of the most fearsome reputations of any pirate in history. What is not always known is the astonishing story of how Edward Teach, a quiet and educated man, transformed himself into this infamous pirate and became known as the “Scourge of the High Seas.” Engel will provide the background, context and hair-raising details of Teach’s transformation into Blackbeard.
Engel lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he has taught at NC State University, the University of North Carolina and Duke University. He earned an M.A. and Ph.D. from UCLA and was awarded that university's Outstanding Teacher Award. He has written ten books published in England, Japan, Turkey and the United States. His mini-lecture series on Charles Dickens aired on PBS stations nationwide. His articles have appeared in numerous newspapers and national magazines. He has lectured throughout the United States and on all the continents, including Antarctica. He was inducted into the Royal Society of Arts in England in 2009 for his academic work and service in promoting Charles Dickens.
Guests are invited to attend a dinner with Engel at 5:45 p.m., followed by the lecture. Reservations for the dinner must be made in advance. Tickets to the dinner and lecture are $50. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in the galleries and is open to the public. Tickets to the lecture alone are $25. Tickets are available at Piedmont Arts and online here.
This event is sponsored by King's Grant.
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