The conjuring of America : mojos, mermaids, medicine, and 400 years of Black women's magic / Lindsey Stewart.
| Author/creator | Stewart, Lindsey author. |
| Format | Book |
| Edition | First edition. |
| Publication | New York, NY : Legacy Lit, 2025. |
| Copyright Date | ©2025 |
| Description | xi, 388 pages ; 24 cm |
| Subjects |
| Portion of title | Mojos, mermaids, medicine, and 400 years of Black women's magic |
| Contents | Introduction: How to keep that shit off you -- I. The herbal cures of negro mammies. An alternative history of Vicks VapoRub salve -- "An old woman who doctored among the slaves -- Negro mammies, botany, and American home remedies -- A doctor's visit in the 19th century -- What history will we choose to remember? -- II. The voodoo queen's mermaid. Why can't Disney's Ariel be black? -- Juliette and the Voodoo Queen -- Mermaid history -- Conjure fuels rebellions -- Oshun, Mami Wata, and a pantheon of Africa water deities -- The Gris-Gris of the downtrodden -- "She was hard on the men" -- Our mermaids, our stories -- III. The mojo of Aunt Jemima. Aunt Jemima's grand debut, the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 -- From Negro mammy's hoecake to Aunt Jemima's pancake mix -- Sarah Byrd's cakewalk -- Aunt Caroline Dye's mojo -- Aunt Jemima, the black power revolutionary -- IV. The quilts of granny midwives. Our ancient textile tradition -- Enslaved midwives as weavers -- Black midwives and the 19th century brawl over abortion -- The quilt of Motherwit -- The midwife's bag, a tool of rebellion -- Black women's hair, the everlasting textile -- V. The candy lady's soul food. Oshun's legacy in the new world -- The Candy Lady -- From black-eyed peas to red beans and rice -- Wild lettuce, the greens in my gumbo pot -- Black women put their foot in this -- Conclusion: Where did all the conjure women go? |
| Abstract | "Emerging first on plantations in the American South, enslaved conjure women used their magic to treat illnesses. These women combined their ancestral spiritual beliefs from West Africa with local herbal rituals and therapeutic remedies to create conjure, forging a secret well of health and power hidden to their oppressors and many of the modern-day staples we still enjoy. ... Black feminist philosopher Lindsey Stewart exposes this vital contour of American history. In the face of slavery, Negro mammies fashioned a legacy of magic that begat herbal experts, fearsome water bearers, and powerful mojos--roles and traditions that for centuries have been passed down to respond to Black struggles in real time. And when Jim Crow was born, Granny Midwives and textile weavers leveled their techniques to protect our civil and reproductive rights, while Candy Ladies fed a generation of freedom crusaders. ... Above all, The Conjuring of America is a love letter to the magic Black women used to sow messages of rebellion, freedom, and hope"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 307-368) and index. |
| ISBN | 9781538769508 (hardback) |
| ISBN | 1538769506 (hardback) |
| Stock number | Hachette Books, 53 State St 9th Fl, Boston, MA, USA, 02109, (617)2270730 SAN 200-2205 |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | General Stacks | BF1622 .A34 S74 2025 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |