Join Road Scholar on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at 1 p.m. (ET)/ 10 a.m. (PT), for a free one-hour lecture and Q&A to learn about Evalyn Walsh McLean and the curse of the Hope Diamond.

Evalyn Walsh McLean, an American mining heiress and socialite, was the famed owner of the 45-carat Hope Diamond — the world’s largest blue diamond when she purchased it in 1911 from Pierre Cartier in Paris. Rumored to carry a curse that brought misfortune to its owners, the diamond accompanied Evalyn everywhere, from White House gatherings to charity events. According to the Smithsonian Institution, where the gem is displayed at the National Museum of Natural History, there is no truth to the legends related to the curse. And yet, Evalyn Walsh McLean’s life was never the same after acquiring the Hope Diamond. Heartbreak and tragedy befell her, impacting every aspect of her life. Was the diamond to blame? Join Carolyn Crouch to explore the origins of the Hope Diamond’s supposed curse and its connection to the extravagant and reckless lifestyle of its larger-than-life owner.