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The Conjuring of America: Mojos, Mermaids, Medicine, and 400 Years of Black Women's Magic
The Conjuring of America tells the epic story of conjure women, who, through a mix of spiritual beliefs, herbal rituals, and therapeutic remedies gave rise to the rich tapestry of American culture we see today. Feminist philosopher, Lindsey Stewart, tells the stories of Negro Mammies of slavery; the Voodoo Queens and Blues Women of Reconstruction; and the Granny Midwives and textile weavers of the Jim Crow era. These women, in secrecy and subterfuge, courageously and devotedly continued their practices and worship for centuries and passed down their traditions.
Emerging first in the American South during slavery, these women were thrust into the heart of national conflicts over generations of African American life. They combined ancestral magic and hyperlocal resources to respond to Black struggles in real time, forging a secret well of health and power hidden to their oppressors. As a result, conjure informs our lives in ways remarkable and ordinary—from traditional medicines that informed the creation of Vicks VapoRub and the rise of Aunt Jemima’s Pancake Mix, to the original magic of Disney’s The Little Mermaid (2023), and the true origins of the all-American classic blue jean.
From the moment enslaved Africans first arrived on these shores, conjure was heavily regulated and even outlawed. Now, Stewart uncovers new contours of American history, sourcing letters from the enslaved, dispatches from the lore of Oshun and other African mystics. The Conjuring of America is a love letter to the real magic Black women used, their magic Black women, their herbs, food, textiles, song, and dance, used to sow rebellion, freedom, and hope.
Emerging first in the American South during slavery, these women were thrust into the heart of national conflicts over generations of African American life. They combined ancestral magic and hyperlocal resources to respond to Black struggles in real time, forging a secret well of health and power hidden to their oppressors. As a result, conjure informs our lives in ways remarkable and ordinary—from traditional medicines that informed the creation of Vicks VapoRub and the rise of Aunt Jemima’s Pancake Mix, to the original magic of Disney’s The Little Mermaid (2023), and the true origins of the all-American classic blue jean.
From the moment enslaved Africans first arrived on these shores, conjure was heavily regulated and even outlawed. Now, Stewart uncovers new contours of American history, sourcing letters from the enslaved, dispatches from the lore of Oshun and other African mystics. The Conjuring of America is a love letter to the real magic Black women used, their magic Black women, their herbs, food, textiles, song, and dance, used to sow rebellion, freedom, and hope.
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 29, 2025
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October 24, 2025
4.5 Stars!
"For many white people in the 19th century, there was always the fear that Black women could use their knowledge of herbs and roots to harm them when they were most vulnerable, sick, and ailing"
A very informative and fun look at how Black women throughout history used their spiritual traditions and "conjures" to heal their community. Vicks VapoRub was created by Black enslaved women who used ingredients found near them to heal their families and other enslaved people. White people stole the recipe and passed it off as their own creation. White people stealing from Black culture is eternal.
White people fear Black culture and our jealous of our creativity. Doctors found many of the spices and roots that Black Mammies used worked and they reported these findings as if the ideas were their own. I found it interesting to learn how political food became during the Black Power Movement when "soul food " was created as a euphemism for Black. The anti abortion movement rose because white men were mad that Black midwives knew which herbs could cause abortions and Black women ending their pregnancies meant less Black labor for the white capitalists.
"Even when those in power rise to threaten our freedoms even when we are killed with impunity by the police and denied control over our wombs we are not powerless."
This is a powerful piece of Black history. A must-read.
" This knowledge informs us that even in the breakfast of times power never lies solely in the hands of those who would oppress us."
"For many white people in the 19th century, there was always the fear that Black women could use their knowledge of herbs and roots to harm them when they were most vulnerable, sick, and ailing"
A very informative and fun look at how Black women throughout history used their spiritual traditions and "conjures" to heal their community. Vicks VapoRub was created by Black enslaved women who used ingredients found near them to heal their families and other enslaved people. White people stole the recipe and passed it off as their own creation. White people stealing from Black culture is eternal.
White people fear Black culture and our jealous of our creativity. Doctors found many of the spices and roots that Black Mammies used worked and they reported these findings as if the ideas were their own. I found it interesting to learn how political food became during the Black Power Movement when "soul food " was created as a euphemism for Black. The anti abortion movement rose because white men were mad that Black midwives knew which herbs could cause abortions and Black women ending their pregnancies meant less Black labor for the white capitalists.
"Even when those in power rise to threaten our freedoms even when we are killed with impunity by the police and denied control over our wombs we are not powerless."
This is a powerful piece of Black history. A must-read.
" This knowledge informs us that even in the breakfast of times power never lies solely in the hands of those who would oppress us."
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
December 22, 2025
Um, this was nothing short of stupendous.
Brilliantly researched, lovingly created.
Highly, highly recommend.
Brilliantly researched, lovingly created.
Highly, highly recommend.
July 28, 2025
The Conjuring of America is a breathtaking, bone-deep testament to the enduring power of Black women’s magic. At once a historical reckoning, a spiritual archive, and a richly layered celebration, this book doesn’t just tell a story it casts one.
From the first page, readers are drawn into a rhythmic, root-deep current that carries them through 400 years of conjure, healing, and ancestral fire. The mojos crafted from iron nails, red thread, graveyard dirt, and whispered prayers pulse with life. The mermaids from Mami Wata’s shimmering wake to Oshun’s golden laughter sing to the reader with salt-soaked voices. The medicine herbal, spiritual, communal isn’t just for the body. It’s for the soul, the spirit, the bloodline.
What makes The Conjuring of America so potent is its refusal to separate magic from history. Every charm is political. Every prayer is resistance. Every healing balm is an act of revolution. Black women’s bodies, stories, and spirits are the thread that stitches this country together and this book makes sure we feel that, page after page.
Whether it’s the conjure women who outwitted slave catchers, the hoodoo midwives birthing new generations into freedom, or the everyday mamas and aunties who laced their love with spells and strength, this book lifts them all into the sacred light they deserve. It’s as much about surviving as it is about thriving reclaiming joy, power, and sovereignty in a world that tried to erase it.
For practitioners, descendants, seekers, and scholars alike, The Conjuring of America is more than a book it’s an initiation. A call to remember. A reminder that Black women’s magic shaped this nation and it’s still shaping what comes next.
From the first page, readers are drawn into a rhythmic, root-deep current that carries them through 400 years of conjure, healing, and ancestral fire. The mojos crafted from iron nails, red thread, graveyard dirt, and whispered prayers pulse with life. The mermaids from Mami Wata’s shimmering wake to Oshun’s golden laughter sing to the reader with salt-soaked voices. The medicine herbal, spiritual, communal isn’t just for the body. It’s for the soul, the spirit, the bloodline.
What makes The Conjuring of America so potent is its refusal to separate magic from history. Every charm is political. Every prayer is resistance. Every healing balm is an act of revolution. Black women’s bodies, stories, and spirits are the thread that stitches this country together and this book makes sure we feel that, page after page.
Whether it’s the conjure women who outwitted slave catchers, the hoodoo midwives birthing new generations into freedom, or the everyday mamas and aunties who laced their love with spells and strength, this book lifts them all into the sacred light they deserve. It’s as much about surviving as it is about thriving reclaiming joy, power, and sovereignty in a world that tried to erase it.
For practitioners, descendants, seekers, and scholars alike, The Conjuring of America is more than a book it’s an initiation. A call to remember. A reminder that Black women’s magic shaped this nation and it’s still shaping what comes next.
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November 19, 2025This is one of Book Riot’s Best Books of 2025:
Since the beginning of the United States, Black conjure women, who combine traditional West African spiritual beliefs with herbal remedies and local resources, have been a balm to their communities. The legacy of these Mammies, Voodoo Queens, and Reconstruction-era Blues Women began, like so much of American history, in the South during slavery. Here, Feminist philosopher Lindsey Stewart traces their influence and legacy, which includes everything from blue jeans to Vicks VapoRub, to 2023's The Little Mermaid.
- Erica Ezeifedi
Since the beginning of the United States, Black conjure women, who combine traditional West African spiritual beliefs with herbal remedies and local resources, have been a balm to their communities. The legacy of these Mammies, Voodoo Queens, and Reconstruction-era Blues Women began, like so much of American history, in the South during slavery. Here, Feminist philosopher Lindsey Stewart traces their influence and legacy, which includes everything from blue jeans to Vicks VapoRub, to 2023's The Little Mermaid.
- Erica Ezeifedi
July 14, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book.
I am in awe of what I'm learning and how Stewart writes. The resilience of Black women is embedded within each chapter and section. From 400 years ago to today Black women & black girls have been defying odds, been creative, and heroic in every scenario they've encountered. I enjoyed reading about the origins of our customs. The habits that are engrained in us socially, historically, and spiritually. Overall, this book has given me a piece of myself and my history that I hadn't known and I'm looking forward to recommending this book to everyone I know.
I am in awe of what I'm learning and how Stewart writes. The resilience of Black women is embedded within each chapter and section. From 400 years ago to today Black women & black girls have been defying odds, been creative, and heroic in every scenario they've encountered. I enjoyed reading about the origins of our customs. The habits that are engrained in us socially, historically, and spiritually. Overall, this book has given me a piece of myself and my history that I hadn't known and I'm looking forward to recommending this book to everyone I know.
July 5, 2025
Apropos of its subject, the book is beautiful, tragic, and messy, but its importance wins out.
The thesis of the book is a study in the contemporary relevance of the Black Diaspora. The culture of the United States is Black, or Black-derived, and that culture derives from religions and other usually mystical traditions of different African nations. It is not in a 1:1 parity, but religion and custom, passing through the extractive process of the Middle Passage and synchronizing with Christianity, resulted in enslaved Black culture.
Most specifically, the book is focused on cultural archetypes. It is like a real life commedia dell'arte, where individuals in the community found stock roles, which also served as stock characters in U.S. culture more broadly. These roles (or those looked at in this book) are those filed by Black women, and are customarily possessed of a mystical quality: the conjure of the title, which, outside of its latinate derived usage in English from Ye Old Norman Conquest, is an AVVE term for magicians in general. These roles are a tribute to Black resilience under slavery and show up repeatedly in U.S. culture, or something deriving from them is.
That is the head of the book. Its heart is somewhere else entirely. The contrast there makes this both a must-read and a read with a full panoply of criticism.
The book is a delight. The author's enthusiasm is infectious, and her passion for her subjects is only matched by her sense of their contemporary import. But unfounded and unsupported assertions are everywhere. I have reservations about raising that as a complaint in that it drifts towards victim-blaming. What is the evidence, you ask. Hmm, funny that, it is almost as if there was systemic effort to obliterate it. Even if not intentionally, it sure is convenient that any effort to rectify the lacunae through reasonable supposition, removes that effort from an ability to challenge the existing paradigm.
When done with the heart of a feather it is necessary; done without it is how you get to racist Atlantis.
The range of influence points here is wide, including medicine, medical procedures, textiles, and food. The story here is important in that this is U.S. history, and the unique role of Black women therein is cool to read about, and particularly with as much spryness as this text does it.
If there is one thing that I wish to ask history writers it is to avoid trying to make everything sexy. History is interesting. You do not need to give it wings. Or indeed a tail, as in the case of this book, namely in the mermaids.
Explaining the mermaids is better done by investigating the more grievous accusation of the book's anti-science position. It is not, and is not so much that it at one point argues that the Black woman's folk magic is the real science, whereas medicine was just Christian-inflected nonsense. Except when the folk magic uses patent nonsense, like feeding people toenails, where the explanation becomes either the psychological treatment of people's ailments, or the representational qualities, such as with the use of menstrual blood in magical rites. I gave the arguments here an excruciatingly close read, yet they never tip over into a full blown truth of the magic, only walking up to the line.
It is not 1996 anymore, folks. When the enemies of science are in charge, the flirting with mystical thinking is not harmless. Both the medical establishment and the folk practices were wrong, but the medicine looks harsher in hindsight. You do not need this to sell me on the idea of the importance of the traditions of Black women in the United States.
The mermaid section gets framed with the 2023 Disney live action remake of The Little Mermaid, staring Halle Bailey, a Black woman, as the titular character. There is a connection between the subject material and mermaids, in at least one folk story. There is also mermaid symbology used by conjure practitioners, as well as seeing the role of aquatic spirits and water deities in general from folklore of different African peoples. This is the part that I think is fruitful in providing context for the beliefs and pointing out missing bits of history.
But the book teases as if this was all some whitewashed version of Yorba mystery rite. Getting through both the the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney animated version wihtout an invocation of the queerness in either is something, as is the mention of European, but not any other, traditions of fish-people. None of this is necessary. None of this increases the power of the facts of the book, that is the power of the Black women who contributed to it.
I guess the argument is that I am not the audience for this book in its celebration of Black womanhood for those who have been denied the relevance of it. But I kinda think that I am the audience. I love this material. The body of work here is expressive, contrarian, and detailed, with interesting lines of suggested further research. But, as with some other magical stories by Disney, the grandiosity is the downfall.
My thanks to the author, Lindsey Stewart, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Legacy Lit, for making the ARC available to me.
The thesis of the book is a study in the contemporary relevance of the Black Diaspora. The culture of the United States is Black, or Black-derived, and that culture derives from religions and other usually mystical traditions of different African nations. It is not in a 1:1 parity, but religion and custom, passing through the extractive process of the Middle Passage and synchronizing with Christianity, resulted in enslaved Black culture.
Most specifically, the book is focused on cultural archetypes. It is like a real life commedia dell'arte, where individuals in the community found stock roles, which also served as stock characters in U.S. culture more broadly. These roles (or those looked at in this book) are those filed by Black women, and are customarily possessed of a mystical quality: the conjure of the title, which, outside of its latinate derived usage in English from Ye Old Norman Conquest, is an AVVE term for magicians in general. These roles are a tribute to Black resilience under slavery and show up repeatedly in U.S. culture, or something deriving from them is.
That is the head of the book. Its heart is somewhere else entirely. The contrast there makes this both a must-read and a read with a full panoply of criticism.
The book is a delight. The author's enthusiasm is infectious, and her passion for her subjects is only matched by her sense of their contemporary import. But unfounded and unsupported assertions are everywhere. I have reservations about raising that as a complaint in that it drifts towards victim-blaming. What is the evidence, you ask. Hmm, funny that, it is almost as if there was systemic effort to obliterate it. Even if not intentionally, it sure is convenient that any effort to rectify the lacunae through reasonable supposition, removes that effort from an ability to challenge the existing paradigm.
When done with the heart of a feather it is necessary; done without it is how you get to racist Atlantis.
The range of influence points here is wide, including medicine, medical procedures, textiles, and food. The story here is important in that this is U.S. history, and the unique role of Black women therein is cool to read about, and particularly with as much spryness as this text does it.
If there is one thing that I wish to ask history writers it is to avoid trying to make everything sexy. History is interesting. You do not need to give it wings. Or indeed a tail, as in the case of this book, namely in the mermaids.
Explaining the mermaids is better done by investigating the more grievous accusation of the book's anti-science position. It is not, and is not so much that it at one point argues that the Black woman's folk magic is the real science, whereas medicine was just Christian-inflected nonsense. Except when the folk magic uses patent nonsense, like feeding people toenails, where the explanation becomes either the psychological treatment of people's ailments, or the representational qualities, such as with the use of menstrual blood in magical rites. I gave the arguments here an excruciatingly close read, yet they never tip over into a full blown truth of the magic, only walking up to the line.
It is not 1996 anymore, folks. When the enemies of science are in charge, the flirting with mystical thinking is not harmless. Both the medical establishment and the folk practices were wrong, but the medicine looks harsher in hindsight. You do not need this to sell me on the idea of the importance of the traditions of Black women in the United States.
The mermaid section gets framed with the 2023 Disney live action remake of The Little Mermaid, staring Halle Bailey, a Black woman, as the titular character. There is a connection between the subject material and mermaids, in at least one folk story. There is also mermaid symbology used by conjure practitioners, as well as seeing the role of aquatic spirits and water deities in general from folklore of different African peoples. This is the part that I think is fruitful in providing context for the beliefs and pointing out missing bits of history.
But the book teases as if this was all some whitewashed version of Yorba mystery rite. Getting through both the the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney animated version wihtout an invocation of the queerness in either is something, as is the mention of European, but not any other, traditions of fish-people. None of this is necessary. None of this increases the power of the facts of the book, that is the power of the Black women who contributed to it.
I guess the argument is that I am not the audience for this book in its celebration of Black womanhood for those who have been denied the relevance of it. But I kinda think that I am the audience. I love this material. The body of work here is expressive, contrarian, and detailed, with interesting lines of suggested further research. But, as with some other magical stories by Disney, the grandiosity is the downfall.
My thanks to the author, Lindsey Stewart, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Legacy Lit, for making the ARC available to me.
February 6, 2026
Fascinating & informative. I learned a lot.
You can tell that Lindsey Steward is a professor because, more than once, I thought that each section of the book could be used as a stand-alone reference for someone wanting to read just about a particular area related to conjure (medicine, food, textiles, goddesses/gods & their forms). I say that because there is enough repetition in each section to make each able to be independently read/referenced. So it's not just an informative book to read just because you want to learn something, it's also a great source for students to consider for research & papers.
I think the only thing that could have made this even stronger as a book would have been inclusions of some photos for discussed items like "The Liberation of Aunt Jemima" by artist Betye Saar, examples of quilt designs, etc.
Highly recommend.
You can tell that Lindsey Steward is a professor because, more than once, I thought that each section of the book could be used as a stand-alone reference for someone wanting to read just about a particular area related to conjure (medicine, food, textiles, goddesses/gods & their forms). I say that because there is enough repetition in each section to make each able to be independently read/referenced. So it's not just an informative book to read just because you want to learn something, it's also a great source for students to consider for research & papers.
I think the only thing that could have made this even stronger as a book would have been inclusions of some photos for discussed items like "The Liberation of Aunt Jemima" by artist Betye Saar, examples of quilt designs, etc.
Highly recommend.
September 24, 2025
Lindsey Stewart has gifted us a very interesting book; it's well written, researched & historically accurate in documentation. She makes her case with aplomb, carefully sighting the mostly hidden nuances of conjure women through the ages of burgeoning America from slavery, through Reconstruction, Jim Crow and on to current times. Her examples of where things come from, how they came to be, many of which were usurped by the dominant forces ( yes, admittedly, that white supremacy scourge that ONCE was ) - products like Vicks Vapor rub, midwifery practices, denim blue jeans, Disney movie characters, certain food & artistic delights/traditions adopted into mainstream culture & even Coca-Cola. We are all richer as a society and should acknowledge these rightful contributions. Do these constitute justification for reparations? I'd say no ma'am, but this is not the focus of this book nor is it mentioned.
Of special interest due to contemporary cultural/political climate are opinions/quotes from New Orleans restaurateur Dooky Chase speaking of her gumbo cuisine that: 'you can have gumbos of people, too, mixtures of people coming together, and that's the gumbo we need to make in this country.' AND: 'we don't talk to one another. So we don't mix that gumbo, it doesn't gel because we're not talkin.' Uh hum, thank you, Charlie Kirk.
The penultimate chapter head reads: "Black Women Put Their Foot in This" which she describes as figurative & literal and is both complimentary as well as grossly culinary - hmm, read the book, yo. I only have a few detractions that are personal but I'll stick my chicken neck out and say them .. she fully supported Kamala while denouncing our current president which I would expect - why ?, you're smart too smart to not make that distinction of choosing crass but exceedingly capable over sentimental but wholly inept. The same for BLM .. scam organization fronting as good for black folks, yeah, right. But, so, not to detract from her otherwise fine accomplishment especially for many of her young black and any others who never knew the full extent of what influence mammies had over all who were cared for including the peckerwoods of southern repute. "What say home" says those in the know!
Of special interest due to contemporary cultural/political climate are opinions/quotes from New Orleans restaurateur Dooky Chase speaking of her gumbo cuisine that: 'you can have gumbos of people, too, mixtures of people coming together, and that's the gumbo we need to make in this country.' AND: 'we don't talk to one another. So we don't mix that gumbo, it doesn't gel because we're not talkin.' Uh hum, thank you, Charlie Kirk.
The penultimate chapter head reads: "Black Women Put Their Foot in This" which she describes as figurative & literal and is both complimentary as well as grossly culinary - hmm, read the book, yo. I only have a few detractions that are personal but I'll stick my chicken neck out and say them .. she fully supported Kamala while denouncing our current president which I would expect - why ?, you're smart too smart to not make that distinction of choosing crass but exceedingly capable over sentimental but wholly inept. The same for BLM .. scam organization fronting as good for black folks, yeah, right. But, so, not to detract from her otherwise fine accomplishment especially for many of her young black and any others who never knew the full extent of what influence mammies had over all who were cared for including the peckerwoods of southern repute. "What say home" says those in the know!
January 24, 2026
Such a well-written and deeply researched text. I learned so much about conjure women and Black women's ancestral healing work. An astoundingly informative read.
February 27, 2026
4.5
the audiobook for this was very insightful and engaging! it was a great mixture of history and analysis, while still keeping it lighthearted. i never realized how many things began thanks to black women’s innovation, resourcefulness and conjuring! overall, this book was awesome and i really enjoyed getting a deep dive on traditions, religion and how black enslaved women began cultural aspects still going today!
the audiobook for this was very insightful and engaging! it was a great mixture of history and analysis, while still keeping it lighthearted. i never realized how many things began thanks to black women’s innovation, resourcefulness and conjuring! overall, this book was awesome and i really enjoyed getting a deep dive on traditions, religion and how black enslaved women began cultural aspects still going today!
February 9, 2026
Brilliantly researched, beautifully written (and read) look at centuries of Black Girl Magic— from the mermaids and ancient gods to current artists and authors this is a detailed look at all the ways Black women have supported, healed and fed the world. I especially enjoyed the section on the granny midwives but every bit of this was fascinating. Highly recommend.
January 21, 2026
An incredible trove of information and stories on conjure, and how many Black women have used spirituality and religion from West Africa to survive the US. Living in Charleston, I was especially excited about the Gullah Geechee history and beliefs included here!
I loved the amount of history included in this book, the use of narrative elements in telling stories (especially the mermaid story in Charleston!), and Stewart sharing some of her own/family history throughout. So much here I have never learned before, including the origins of jeans in enslavement, vicks vapor rub being stolen from a Black family and conjure traditions, and how conjure women were the first holistic medical care providers in the US. I also have never read about Voodoo before, nor have I read a book that described religion that I had basically no exposure to before (only exception is having some info on Harriet Tubman's use of Hoodoo before this), and so this read was especially interesting.
Sometimes, information was a bit tough to follow (e.g., midwife history being shared in the section on textiles), and the final food section ended up feeling a bit long. But! This is an especially strong rec for people who want great detail on conjure women, and it's a great example of a book that describes religion/faith/spiritual beliefs/practices/origins/traditions alongside historical analysis/critique.
Listened on audio: love that this is narrated by the author! Good narration.
I loved the amount of history included in this book, the use of narrative elements in telling stories (especially the mermaid story in Charleston!), and Stewart sharing some of her own/family history throughout. So much here I have never learned before, including the origins of jeans in enslavement, vicks vapor rub being stolen from a Black family and conjure traditions, and how conjure women were the first holistic medical care providers in the US. I also have never read about Voodoo before, nor have I read a book that described religion that I had basically no exposure to before (only exception is having some info on Harriet Tubman's use of Hoodoo before this), and so this read was especially interesting.
Sometimes, information was a bit tough to follow (e.g., midwife history being shared in the section on textiles), and the final food section ended up feeling a bit long. But! This is an especially strong rec for people who want great detail on conjure women, and it's a great example of a book that describes religion/faith/spiritual beliefs/practices/origins/traditions alongside historical analysis/critique.
Listened on audio: love that this is narrated by the author! Good narration.
August 20, 2025
Book Overall/Execution: 4/5
Audiobook/Narration: 5/5
Audiobook/Narration: 5/5
September 24, 2025
A lot of footnotes to be sure but excellent reading and facts. You'll never look a bottle of Vicks Vap-o-Rub the same way again.
"It is no accident that today we face an increase in antiabortion rhetoric and legislation in tandem with a steep surge in anit-immigratrion speech and law."
"It is no accident that today we face an increase in antiabortion rhetoric and legislation in tandem with a steep surge in anit-immigratrion speech and law."
August 2, 2025
“It is our job to tend the gardens of our foremothers— to til the four hundred years of Black women’s magic that lie in the soil of this country…”
Reading this felt like a warm hug from the ancestors. It felt like the passing down of generational secrets and memories. It felt like sitting at the feet of our grandmothers and learning all of the ways that Black women have—and still continue—to contribute to the shaping of our country. With a conversational tone and smart writing, Stewart delivers an unapologetic love letter to the foremothers of our culture. Black Girl Magic isn’t just a catch phrase; it’s how Black women have passed down traditions steeped in wisdom and hope, full of the promise of a brighter future even when it seemed impossible. It’s all brilliantly encapsulated in this book that won’t soon be forgotten.
Thank you to Legacy Lit and NetGalley for this ARC!
Reading this felt like a warm hug from the ancestors. It felt like the passing down of generational secrets and memories. It felt like sitting at the feet of our grandmothers and learning all of the ways that Black women have—and still continue—to contribute to the shaping of our country. With a conversational tone and smart writing, Stewart delivers an unapologetic love letter to the foremothers of our culture. Black Girl Magic isn’t just a catch phrase; it’s how Black women have passed down traditions steeped in wisdom and hope, full of the promise of a brighter future even when it seemed impossible. It’s all brilliantly encapsulated in this book that won’t soon be forgotten.
Thank you to Legacy Lit and NetGalley for this ARC!
January 3, 2026
This history book is well researched and has an interesting subject that has not gotten enough attention. However, it is written in a very repetitive manner. It probably could have been a third shorter and been less slow going.
November 6, 2025
3⭐️ This book was long and makes for a great book club read. I liked some of the stories and lore but there were some points that had opinions that read like facts and that bothered me a bit. The topics were unique to read about for me. Like the mammification chapter were very interesting and enlightening. Overall I had a decent time with this book and the book club.
February 22, 2026
Dear Black Women,
This is a MUST READ!! MUST!! READ!!!
Some of us think we’ve coined the phrase ‘Black Girl Magic’ for fun! To pay homage to our ingenuity, our tenacity, and to our being the blueprint for everything! And while this is true, we know, intrinsically, that we are so much more! Whether you proclaim it or not, there is magic, the truest magic in our actual dna! For those of us who know, and far before it was demonized, we come from a long line of Conjure Women! And our magic, and the magic of our Mothers and Mother’s Mothers are EVERYWHERE! This book helps chronicle over 400 years of us!
In a world that is constantly and consistently attempting to erase Black Women and all our contributions to this American Fabric, this book boldly reminds us of our magic, and everywhere that it sparkles. Do not shy away from the greatness in you.
This book brought me so much joy! It healed me in a time when the world tells us we are less. Everywhere I have looked while reading this book, I smile and smugly know, ‘We made that!’!
The anecdotal stories, mythos, stereotypes and history within this book rang in my spirit, connecting many dots. I saw my Mother, my Grandmother, my Aunts (specifically my Great Aunt Vera), my Cousins, and my Community Sisters in this book. The power we share and the passing down of our stories, conjures, recipes, knowledge and magic is what keeps us here; strong, alive, vibrant and inspiring!
Black Women… we are! Read this book and remind yourself!
You Are The Blueprint!! That Magic of our foremothers is in us! It is not dormant! It is what keeps us going and at the forefront of EVERYTHING! We are! Black Girl Magic is more than a rallying cry… it is acknowledgement of who we are, who we’ve always been, where we come from and how we pass down ALL we bring to the table!
Embrace your magic!
This book immediately goes into my syllabus of Black History! The ladies of Spelman College are incredibly gifted in the brilliance of Professor Stewart! I’d go back to school just to sit in her classroom.
Y’all… in EVERY lifetime, I’d choose to be a Black Woman!! 😍
This is a MUST READ!! MUST!! READ!!!
Some of us think we’ve coined the phrase ‘Black Girl Magic’ for fun! To pay homage to our ingenuity, our tenacity, and to our being the blueprint for everything! And while this is true, we know, intrinsically, that we are so much more! Whether you proclaim it or not, there is magic, the truest magic in our actual dna! For those of us who know, and far before it was demonized, we come from a long line of Conjure Women! And our magic, and the magic of our Mothers and Mother’s Mothers are EVERYWHERE! This book helps chronicle over 400 years of us!
In a world that is constantly and consistently attempting to erase Black Women and all our contributions to this American Fabric, this book boldly reminds us of our magic, and everywhere that it sparkles. Do not shy away from the greatness in you.
This book brought me so much joy! It healed me in a time when the world tells us we are less. Everywhere I have looked while reading this book, I smile and smugly know, ‘We made that!’!
The anecdotal stories, mythos, stereotypes and history within this book rang in my spirit, connecting many dots. I saw my Mother, my Grandmother, my Aunts (specifically my Great Aunt Vera), my Cousins, and my Community Sisters in this book. The power we share and the passing down of our stories, conjures, recipes, knowledge and magic is what keeps us here; strong, alive, vibrant and inspiring!
Black Women… we are! Read this book and remind yourself!
You Are The Blueprint!! That Magic of our foremothers is in us! It is not dormant! It is what keeps us going and at the forefront of EVERYTHING! We are! Black Girl Magic is more than a rallying cry… it is acknowledgement of who we are, who we’ve always been, where we come from and how we pass down ALL we bring to the table!
Embrace your magic!
This book immediately goes into my syllabus of Black History! The ladies of Spelman College are incredibly gifted in the brilliance of Professor Stewart! I’d go back to school just to sit in her classroom.
Y’all… in EVERY lifetime, I’d choose to be a Black Woman!! 😍
January 13, 2026
No one can tell the history of the conjuring of America as well as Lindsey Stewart. I heard the author interviewed on NPR and immediately wanted to read her book. She spoke of women like Marie Laveau, Harriet Collins and Harriet Jacobs, women who played a major role in the development of American food traditions and medicine. “Negro Mammies were conjure women who used local flora to heal minor ailments; nursed all the children on the grounds, both Black and white; cooked and organized food in the Big House; provided advice to younger enslaved women; and offered spiritual comfort, often by way of mojos, sacred amulets, to the enslaved.”
This book details the contributions these women made to modern America throughout history. For example “When Rutt’s Aunt Jemima and Kersands’s “Old Aunt Jemima” are laid side by side, they tell a story of two different Americas. At the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Aunt Jemima’s pancakes gave whites the America they longed for — one where newly freed African Americans embraced the docility and domesticity posed by an imaginary Negro Mammy. But “Old Aunt Jemima” describes an America that has fallen short of providing the freedom it guarantees to all its citizens — an America that newly freed Blacks wanted to hold accountable for such failings. In Black America, Aunt Jemima rises like a ghost from kitchens across the nation, wielding the mojos of past Negro Mammies. Behind this popular pancake mix stands a secret history where Aunt Jemima is no longer a slave but a Black revolutionary.”
It discusses midwifery, hair, and gives a thorough, very interesting discussion on the history of Vicks Vapor Rub. She does an excellent job including modern day outcomes stemming from this history. If you want to learn detailed history of America’s true roots, read this book.
Referenced https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/ar...
This book details the contributions these women made to modern America throughout history. For example “When Rutt’s Aunt Jemima and Kersands’s “Old Aunt Jemima” are laid side by side, they tell a story of two different Americas. At the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Aunt Jemima’s pancakes gave whites the America they longed for — one where newly freed African Americans embraced the docility and domesticity posed by an imaginary Negro Mammy. But “Old Aunt Jemima” describes an America that has fallen short of providing the freedom it guarantees to all its citizens — an America that newly freed Blacks wanted to hold accountable for such failings. In Black America, Aunt Jemima rises like a ghost from kitchens across the nation, wielding the mojos of past Negro Mammies. Behind this popular pancake mix stands a secret history where Aunt Jemima is no longer a slave but a Black revolutionary.”
It discusses midwifery, hair, and gives a thorough, very interesting discussion on the history of Vicks Vapor Rub. She does an excellent job including modern day outcomes stemming from this history. If you want to learn detailed history of America’s true roots, read this book.
Referenced https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/ar...
February 11, 2026
My GOODNESS!!
I purchased this book when it was only available for pre-order. I just knew by reading the title, The Conjuring of America, that I needed to read this, I needed to own this. And after finishing this, and recommending this book to everybody Black that I know... I can say that I was absolutely right.
This book just clicked for me. Especially as a Black woman, with Virginia enslaved ancestry. This book made me tear up but also made me feel so so proud. Proud to be Black and Proud to be a Black Woman. Knowing that I came from a variation of women with different thoughts and gifts - that mirror who and what I am today. The brilliance of this book, the research, it was a true labor of love. And worth every single penny.
I will read this book, again and again. The perfect addition to this, was the music examples and the ability to listen to the songs discussed in the book. Reading about women, like Aunt Ida, who I've read about in previous years. This book did something for my heart.
I purchased this book when it was only available for pre-order. I just knew by reading the title, The Conjuring of America, that I needed to read this, I needed to own this. And after finishing this, and recommending this book to everybody Black that I know... I can say that I was absolutely right.
This book just clicked for me. Especially as a Black woman, with Virginia enslaved ancestry. This book made me tear up but also made me feel so so proud. Proud to be Black and Proud to be a Black Woman. Knowing that I came from a variation of women with different thoughts and gifts - that mirror who and what I am today. The brilliance of this book, the research, it was a true labor of love. And worth every single penny.
I will read this book, again and again. The perfect addition to this, was the music examples and the ability to listen to the songs discussed in the book. Reading about women, like Aunt Ida, who I've read about in previous years. This book did something for my heart.
September 10, 2025
Just inhaled this entire book this afternoon. Fascinating exploration of Black women’s conjure that brought us everything from Vick’s vapo-rub to blue jeans. Pancakes, mermaids, soul food, sex… it just goes on and on – almost all out of the obvious forced necessity, but deeply informed by ancient knowledge and tradition. Just the section on the rich connections of quilted fabric, knotted string, hair care, abortions, and the rise of midwifery is amazing and well written. The whole book is a voluptuous whirlwind of mythology, connections, pragmatism, and life.
October 12, 2025
The content of this book is top notch. The author tells the stories that so many of have likely never heard and need to hear about Black Women and their impact on our history. The only reason I could not give this 5☆ was due to the general chaotic feel and repetitive nature of some of the stories. Overall, excellent read.
October 28, 2025
4.5/5 - Great read. I'm so upset at how mojos, hoodoo, voodoo, etc. has become bastardized in America and beyond. While I believe in modern science, I also believe in other forms of medicinal remedies, especially plants and herbs from the earth. It just comes to show you how racism ruined everything we know.
January 27, 2026
informative and written in a way that makes you feel more like you’re listening to someone tell oral history they heard from someone before them. i definitely learned a lot about the ways america has been shaped by black women that i wasnt fully aware of before
February 23, 2026
What a STUNNING book! The magic, power, and wisdom of Black women has long been imitated, but never truly honored by those who most benefited. Reading this was such a powerful journey through the history of Black women’s healing and power and ought to be an essential read for all.
February 10, 2026
This book is both brilliant and exceptionally well written. I’ve been trying to confront my own historical blind spots around American history, and The Conjuring of America delivered.
February 12, 2026
Lots of really interesting information and history
February 20, 2026
The history within this book is priceless. I loved hearing about the different beliefs behind hair, cookware, quilting, midwifery etc so much that I had never heard of before
February 25, 2026
It was a privilege to see into the lives of the black women in this book. I would highly recommend this book to women, history lovers, or those who would like to learn a thing or two.
February 8, 2026
Not my kind of book 🫠
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