Labor Unrest in Scranton

I got a black cat bone
I got a mojo too
I got the Johnny Concheroo
I’m gonna mess with you
I’m gonna make you girls
Lead me by my hand
Then the world will know
The hoochie coochie man

Memphis practitioners of Hoodoo, rootwork and conjure utilized supernatural powers in order to perform miraculous healings or harmful work. In Hoodoo workings, there are two forms of supernatural operations. The first is known as “contagious magic.” This form of operation works on the belief that anything that has been in contact with a person can still affect that person. For example, a rootworker may take a piece of someone’s hair from a brush and use it in a spell—the belief being that the hair is still supernaturally connected to its owner and that the spell can affect the owner. Sometimes the dirt from tracks where someone has walked is taken and used in this type of working. A second operation concerns the use of “sympathetic magic.” This operation works on the premise that anything that is similar to a person can affect that person. For example, a rootworker might take a photograph of someone and perform a spell on the photograph. The belief is that the spell will affect the person represented in the photograph. Dolls and names written on paper are used by conjurers to influence the target of their workings.

Leonora Herron and Alice M. Bacon of the Hampton Institute discovered that a Hoodoo doctor provided five distinct services, including determining if the client has been conjured, who conjured the client, where the “trick” is that was used to conjure the client, curing the client and turning back the trick on the conjurer if the client wishes.

Where did the term “rootwork” come from? In his book on Carolina traditions of Hoodoo and conjure, Blue Roots author Roger Pinckney noted an interesting theory: “The root doctor probably got his name from the herbal origins of his practice. Indeed the translated equivalent of ‘doctor’ from the West African Fon and Twi language means literally ‘observer of plants’ and ‘workers with roots,’ respectively. But the ‘root’ may not contain any herbs at all. The root is a charm, a mojo, a gris-gris, a hand meant to be carried, worn, chewed or buried.”

Many of the plants and herbs used by rootworkers were used for common medicinal purposes as forms of folk remedies. Herbs like goatweed were used for influenza, while clove was used to cure nausea. Anthropologist Laurie Wilkie found that “root doctors while also employing a range of magical techniques, mainly specialized in the production and use of herbal and animal product pharmaceuticals to combat diseases that were perceived as being caused by natural agents of illness.” Rootwork might have some magical components, but it was also recognized for its practicality in using herbs and elements in the environment to combat disease and sickness.

The use of herbs in Hoodoo has been explained by some members of the Hoodoo culture as being a practice based on the Bible. Practitioners refer to Genesis 1:29, which explains that every plant that is on the earth is for man to use and was placed there by a divine creator. Some Hoodoo practices are said to be taken from the work of characters in the Bible. Moses is viewed as an important figure who used spiritual power to turn a staff into a serpent. A book used in Hoodoo practices, The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, speaks of these practices being from God—“For medicine comes from the most High.” Examples of biblical characters using healing remedies include how “Isaiah laid figs on the glands of King Hezekiah and healed him. Tobias cured his blind father with fishgall, a cure that was shown him by an angel. And even Jesus anointed the eyes of the blind man with spittle and clay.” In her study of Hoodoo in America, Zora Neale Hurston recorded a healer’s recipe to cure blindness that included instructions on using the gall from a catfish to create eye drops.

Many practitioners also followed a belief known as the “Doctrine of Signatures,” which is a philosophy that teaches that herbs that resemble parts of the human body have the ability to heal those particular parts of the body. Herbs are believed by some Hoodooists to contain various healing energies. For example, ginger appears very similar to the shape of the stomach. Ginger provides many benefits to ingestion and aids in the burning of calories.

In one of the accounts recorded by the Federal Writers’ Project, former slave Patsy Moses talked about a local Hoodoo doctor on the plantation where she labored. Dr. Jones was well known for using herbs for healing in the community:

De conjure doctor, old Dr. Jones, walk ’bout in de black coat like a preacher and wear sideburns, and use roots and sich for he had medicine. He larnt ’bout dem in de piney woods from he old granny. He didn’t cast spells like de voodoo doctor, but used roots for smallpox, and rind of bacon for mumps, and sheep-wool tea for whoopin cough. And for snakebite he used alum and saltpeter and bluestone mix with brandy or whiskey. He could break conjure spells with broth. He take he kettle and put in splinters of pine or hickory jes so de have bark on dem, covers dem with water and puts in de conjure salt. De big black nigger in de cornfield mos allus had three charms round he neck, one to make him fortnate in love, one to keep him well and one for lady luck at dice to be with him. De power of de rabbit foot am great. One nigger used it to run away with. His old granny done told him to try it, and he did. He conjures hisself by takin a good soapy bath so de dogs can’t smell him, and den say a hoodoo over he rabbit foot, and go to de creek and git a start by wadin. Dey didnt miss him till he clear gone, and dat show what de rabbit foot done for him.

John the Conqueror is a name that is commonly associated with the practice of Hoodoo. While it is an herb that was used quite commonly in African American folk magic, John the Conqueror is also a mythical personality that is mentioned in southern folklore. He was said to be a son of an African king and had been sold into slavery. John the Conqueror was said to bring about laughter and hope to African slaves. He would even bring laughter to the faces of the slave owners. John is one of the many “archetypes” said to be able to match wits with the slave owners. Other characters like “Big John” and “Old John” were said to share their tricks with characters like “Br’er Rabbit.” John the Conqueror was said to have made his “secret dwelling” inside a root of a plant that he was said to have created. His root could be carried by slaves to help them overcome hardships.

John the Conqueror has various incarnations. The term is used to describe a number of herbs, including Solomon’s seal, Indian turnip, beth root, the root of St. John’s-wort and jalap. The root is believed to have the ability to protect, as it was used by many slaves. It is also believed to provide good luck to gamblers and to those in love. The root can be carried, chewed or placed in a mojo bag. The root is called a number of different names according to how it is being used. When John the Conqueror is “dressed” with Heart’s cologne, it becomes “High John the Conqueror.” When dressed with Heart’s cologne and prayer, it becomes “High John the Conqueror, King of the World.” The root known as “Low John” is Galangal. This root brings favor in court cases. Low John can also be dressed with cologne and placed on the four corners of a dollar bill. This is said to bring about financial success.

Some researchers believe that High John may have been carried by slaves to avoid beatings from slave owners. Two men caught breaking into a home and arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, in October 1889 were discovered carrying mojo bags that contained a rabbit’s foot, a lodestone and John the Conqueror root. One of the thieves, Dave Boasman, told officers that the root was helping him by influencing anyone he came into contact with.

HERB	BOTANICAL NAME	USE
Adam and Eve Root	Aplectrum hyemále	matters related to love
Angel’s Turnip	Apocynum	draws good luck
Buckeye	Aesculus glabra	luck in gambling
Camphor	Cinnamomum camphora	purification, remove warts
Cinnamon	Cinnamonum zeylanicum	matters related to love
Cruel Man of the Woods	Poltandra alba	controlling others
Devil’s Shoestring Root Five Finger Grass	Viburnum alnifolium Potentilla tormentilla	gambling, protection, control protection, love, money
Frankincense	Boswellia carterii	protection, purification, money
Hyssop	Hyssopus officinalis	protection, purification
Irish Moss	Chondrus crispus	money, success
Jezebel Root	Picea	attraction, crossings
Job’s Tears	Coix lacryma-jobi	luck, crossings
John the Conqueror	Ipomoea jalapa	luck, protection, gambling
Life Everlasting	Gnaphalium uliginosum	protection from illness
Mullein	Verbascum thapsus	removes arthritis, gambling
Nutmeg	Myristica fragrans	gambling, luck
Red Pepper	Capsicum	remove sickness, crossings
Rose of Jericho	Anastatica hierochuntica	prosperity
Sassafras	Sassafras officinale	healing, cleansing
Snake Root	Aristolochia serpentaria	luck, protection
Star Anise	Ilicuim verum	luck
Tonka Beans	Dipteryx odorata	luck
Verbena	Vervain	love, uncrossing

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Objects like floor wash, baths and oils are used in Hoodoo culture to bring about changes in issues related to love, luck and protection. Author’s collection.

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John the Conqueror. There are a number of different herbs that are known by this name. Galangal, Solomon’s seal, beth root and the root of St. John’s-wort are recognized as forms of John. African American folklore says that John was an African spirit that helped alleviate the pain in slaves and later transformed his spirit inside this root. Courtesy of Ebbo Spiritual Supply.

BATHS. Spiritual baths are a mixture of oils, waters and herbs that may be placed in a bathtub to give the user various “energies.” Many spiritual baths are recommended to “cleanse” away negative energies and situations. Baths come in an array of colors and scents. Some have names such as “Come to Me” and “Dragon’s Blood.” One very popular bath oil in Memphis is “Dr. Pryor’s 7 Holy Spirit Hyssop Brand Bath Oil.”

BLACK CAT BONE. The black cat bone is one of the most recognized conjure components in Hoodoo culture. Lore about the bones says that you should take them to a crossroads along with a small mirror. Placing the bones into your mouth will eventually result in the mirror going black. This is an indicator that the bone has the power to make the owner invisible. Black cat bones are believed to be very powerful objects capable of wielding great supernatural powers.

BOOKS. There are a number of books that have been popular among members of the Hoodoo and conjure culture. Some of them include European metaphysical books such as The Black Pullet, Long Lost Friend, The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses and Secrets of the Psalms. Books known as “Dream Books,” which focus on interpreting dreams, have historically been popular among the Hoodoo community as well.

One of the most popular books used in Hoodoo practices in the South is the Bible. Scriptures are used in conjunction with practices to give them spiritual power. The physical presence of biblical scriptures was believed to have a spiritual “essence.” Scriptures were embroidered into cloths and pillows in homes of practitioners.

The book of Psalms is a popular book used alongside prayers and practices in folk magic. Certain Psalms would be recited while healers anointed their clients with oil to bring about healing from sickness. The topic of a specific Psalm would be used for particular ailments and situations. For instance, verses that speak about weakness or sickness in the Psalmists eyes, bones or flesh would be applied to address similar ailments in clients. A client suffering from eye problems might utilize the following text found in Psalm 6:6–9: “I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies. Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD hath heard my supplication; the lord will receive my prayer.”

One spell used in stopping slander requires the user to write the name of the person causing them trouble on a sheet of paper. The paper is then placed into a bottle of “glory water,” and the bottle is buried in the ground. The person is then advised to read the verses of Psalm 120 for seven days in order for the spell to work. Some healers suggested placing a Bible open to Psalm 23 under the pillow of the sick in order to bring about healing.

CANDLES. Candles are used in Hoodoo folk practices for a number of reasons. The candle gives a certain “ceremonial” feel to an environment and creates an atmosphere where interaction with the spirits can be practiced. Candles come in many different shapes, sizes and colors. They are used in many rituals as a means of focusing energy and enhancing spiritual work. Candles are sometimes “anointed” with various oils and herbs to enhance the power of the object.

The color of the candle may be symbolic of the type of ritual for which the candle is being used. For instance, red-colored candles are popular in rituals pertaining to love and sex. Green-colored candles may be used in magical operations related to money and financial success. It is believed that the color of a candle can affect the vibration sent forth from the candle.

Candles are found in various shapes, including crosses, skulls, cats and human figurines. The shapes of the candles indicate the focus of the ritual. Candles shaped like skulls can be used in “crossing” rituals. Candles shaped like cats can be used to bring good luck to gamblers. Candles in the glass are very popular, with images decorating the glass displaying pictures and text describing the use of the candle. “Money Drawing,” “House Blessing” and many other labels are found among Hoodoo suppliers. Images on candles feature popular saints and folk characters from African, Latin and Catholic cultures.

Candles like the famous “Black Cat” candle may be used to turn the user’s bad luck to good luck through the power of the spirits. A popular candle known as the “Block Buster” is used to break up any working that has been placed on an individual. The “Come to Me” candle is used to draw people toward the user, such as a lost love. “Court Case” candles invoke the spiritual to give aid to an upcoming legal matter. Candles like “Fast Luck” and “Money Drawing” are used to bring financial success. Candles like the “Uncrossing” or “Reversible” serve to break or turn away any negative workings that may have been performed on the user. Candles may be used to accompany prayers. Names written on paper and photos may be placed under the object. Pins may also be placed in candles.

COLOGNES AND PERFUMES. There are a number of colognes that were manufactured by non-Hoodoo companies that are used by practitioners for their magical and spiritual characteristics. Some of the more popular colognes include Florida Water, Strong Love, Kananga Water, Hoyt’s Cologne and Jockey Club. Colognes could be used to cleanse objects and people, as well as to provide protection and good luck. Jockey Club became known for its power to bring about good luck and employment.

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Hoyt’s Cologne can still be found in Memphis stores that carry curios and Hoodoo-related merchandise. Author’s collection.

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Once manufactured in Memphis, Hoyt’s Cologne has traditionally been used in Hoodoo to bring good luck, especially among gamblers. It can still be found today in spiritual supply shops on Beale Street and some pharmacies in Memphis. Courtesy of Emergence of Advertising in America Digital Collection, John W. Hartman Center for Sales Advertising and Marketing History, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Duke University.

One of the more popular Hoodoo colognes is Hoyt’s Cologne. Hoyt’s is used to bring good luck to gamblers. Kananga Water and Florida Water are both recognized for their use in Hoodoo protection and cleansings. Perfumes used in Hoodoo are used to “draw” specific energies based on their scent and color. Perfumes can be used to draw luck or money, for hexing or removing curses.

COON BONE: The bone taken from a raccoon’s penis is kept as a good luck charm. The bone is believed to help in matters related to love and gambling. These bones have been discovered among various slave quarters in both Tennessee and Virginia.

DIMES: When drilled and placed on a piece of red thread, the silver from the dime can take away pain. Dimes worn on the neck or ankle will protect the wearer from being “tricked.”

FLOOR WASHES: Floor washes are liquids that contain various waters, oils and herbs and are used to “mop” areas where spiritual work may be performed.

GOOFER DUST: Goofer dust is used in placing tricks on enemies. It can be sprinkled in an area where the victim will come in contact with the dust. The dust attracts the spirits of the dead to the victim. Traditional recipes include graveyard dirt, sulfur, brimstone and salt. Variations include snake and lizard skins along with red peppers. The term “goofer” is a corruption of the African word kuwfa, meaning a dead person. There was a slave belief that if a slave placed graveyard dirt into his shoes, he could not be detected by dogs.

GRAVEYARD DIRT/DUST: Graveyard dirt or dust is a special component in Hoodoo. The substance is obtained by going to a grave and offering a payment to the spirits of the dead. Typically, a silver coin like a dime is left at the grave. Graveyard dirt may be placed on someone’s property to cause the intended target to become sick or to leave town. One rootworker shared with me that graveyard dirt can call attention to the spirits of the dead. This is believed to cause calamity in the life of the victim.

HORSESHOES: Horseshoes are traditional symbols of good luck. In Hoodoo culture, they are believed to be able to ward off ghosts, witches and conjurers. They were frequently placed over the doorway of homes and businesses.

INCENSE: Incense in Hoodoo is believed to be able to send prayers to the spiritual realm and to draw and repel specific spiritual energies. Incense smoke can even be used to “divine” with the use of spirits. Hoodoo practitioners refer to biblical passages related to incense and prayer as guidelines. Incense is used in many different forms. Some incense is sold in stick, powdered or cone forms. Some can be seen in small bundles or “loose” forms, which are traditionally burned in an incense or charcoal burner. Some of the different types of incense used by devotees include Bat’s Blood, Black Art, Fast Luck, “Cast Off,” “Compelling Power,” Myrrh and Frankincense, Van Van and “Jerusalem.”

The Hoodoo product manufacturer known as Rondo Temple Sales out of Atlanta, Georgia, offered this to say about the spiritual origins of incense in its catalogue, Rondo’s King Solomon’s Alleged Guide to Success: “The first known recipe for incense is that given in Exodus, Chap.xxx Ver 34, wherein is said that Moses was given a recipe consisting of sweet spice, myrrh, oncha and galbanum, together with pure frankincense with the added commandment that this incense was to be reserved exclusively for divine worship.”

LODESTONES: These are amulets that are used for protection and to draw success. They can be “dressed” with “Money Drawing” oil to attract finances. Lodestones are “fed” magnetic sand to put them to work. Lodestones are believed to come in male and female forms. Giving iron filings to the male is called “feeding the he,” while the female feeding is called “feeding the she.”

OILS: Oils are used to “anoint” candles, people and objects or to “dress” objects. Oils such as the popular “Gambler’s Luck” and “Lucky Bingo” are used to bring about success in gambling. “Fast Luck” oil contains citronella and can be used to bring customers into a business. “Come to Me” oil and “Drawing” oil are used in operations to attract the opposite sex. Van Van oil was once considered the most popular conjuring drug in Louisiana, according to Zora Neale Hurston. The oil is believed to bring about luck and power to its user. It is also believed to be able to remove tricks.

Financial blessings are believed to come from using oils like “Prosperity,” “Triple Fast Luck,” “Fast Success” and “Lucky 13.” Oils used to remove negative influences like hexes include “Cast Off Evil,” “Stop Evil” and “Jinx Remover.” “Double Cross” can be used to “turn back” tricks.

POWDERS. Powders are known as “spiritual sachet powers.” These are typically made from talc combined with various herbs and colors. Powders can be sprinkled and blown in specific locations to purify an area of negativity or bring about positive success. There are a number of powders used in Hoodoo culture, including “Attraction Powder,” to attract a love into your life; “Magnet Powder,” used to attract good health and luck; “Money Drawing Powder,” to bring financial success; and “Uncrossing Powder,” to remove curses and several others. One powder that has gained notoriety in the Hoodoo culture is “Hot Foot Powder,” which is used to drive enemies and unwanted people away. Famed anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston shared this spell with her readers to make someone move out of a house: “You will take the Hot Foot Powder and sprinkle of this powder at a place where your enemy will walk so that the fever to move will take hold of them and enter their body and they will become dissatisfied with their place of living and move away and not bother either you or your good neighbors anymore.”

One popular powder among practitioners is Sonny Boy Brand Jinx Remover, which advises users, “The alleged powers of Sonny Boy are limited only by your personal faith. Through spiritual strength and power the rewards of good fortune and success are possible.”

QUICKSILVER: Mercury is used as a repellant to the evil eye. It is also used in some African-based religions to speed up the work of spirits. Conjurers would drill a hole in a piece of nutmeg and fill it with quicksilver to attain good luck in gambling.

RABBIT’S FOOT: The rabbit’s foot is used to bring about good luck and was once used to repel sorcery. Some rootworkers encouraged clients to wear the foot on a string around the neck to remove a fever.

RED BRICK DUST: Bricks are crushed, and the remaining powder is used to provide magical protection. There are many testimonies in Hoodoo culture about devotees who place red brick dust at the entrance of a home as a means of protecting the residence.

The conjure doctor was believed to be able to create “roots” that contained magical powers. Anthropologist Jack Montgomery pointed out that these roots were not necessarily plants and herbs but were also material components that contained supernatural power. The object commonly known as a “mojo bag” comes from the practice of conjure doctors where a small bag filled with the proper recipe of materials could carry supernatural power. These bags, also known as “hands” and “toby,” were carried by some African slaves as a form of protection from slave owners.

Forms of “charms” can be found throughout African culture, and it is easy to see where the concept of these objects came from. African ritual specialists frequently took materials such as bones, herbs and stones and “charged” them with supernatural power. Among the Kikongo people, objects known as minkisi were believed to carry supernatural power. West African Voodoo practitioners are given objects known as wanga that hold these energies from another realm.

Like early African Americans, these charms might be carried for protection, for blessings and for luck. Newbell Niles Puckett, in Folk Beliefs of the Southern Negro, spoke of an elaborate hand composed of sandbur, Sampson’s snakeroot and Devil’s Shoestring. These three items represented the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. They were wrapped in black cloth, sewn with white thread and placed in a red flannel bag. The bag was then carried by the owner and fed whiskey or camphor on a regular basis. The bag was believed to have the ability to “draw” things to the owner, and the Devil’s Shoestring ties was believed to tie those things closed. Another classic example of a hand is one that included John the Conqueror root, Adam and Eve root, a lodestone and Van Van oil placed inside a red flannel bag.

One particular style of protective bag noted by practitioners as being regional to Memphis was known as the “nation sack.” These objects were carried and worn by women close to their skin as a form of protection. Some stories report nation sacks holding dimes that rattled when worn. Frequently worn by “ladies of the night,” the dimes could signal to potential customers the woman’s availability. Some nation sacks contained various objects that were kept secret. The nation sack is believed to come from a similar charm used in African female secret societies. Some scholars contend that this object was actually known as a “nature” bag and was traditionally used by women to keep their husband’s “nature” bound so as not to be unfaithful with other women.

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Silver dimes worn about the wrist or ankle were believed to protect the wearer from conjurers. The belief was that if the dime turned black, it had protected its wearer from someone “laying a trick” against them. Newbell Niles Puckett discovered this form of amulet being worn in many southern communities. Courtesy of Puckett Memorial Collection at Cleveland Public Library.

Bags were typically made from red flannel material. One writer has pondered on the significance of the color red by saying that it was significant in African traditional religions like West African and Haitian Voodoo. The Bantu people of the Kongo used the color red to symbolize opposing binaries such as birth and death. These small cloth bags were filled with materials that functioned as “activators” to the spiritual realm. The bag may be known as “gri gri” (or “gris-gris”), “hand” or “toby.” The word hand, it has been noted, may have originated with the Bantu, as a similar word, handa, was used to refer to “rescuing one from danger,” just as the bag can rescue one from poverty or bad luck. Bags may be “fed” by the owner pouring a little whiskey or perfumes into the bag. Some charged objects may have whiskey being “spit” onto the object. This practice mirrors one found in several African religious cultures where priests “spit” liquids onto sacred objects.

Bags contained a number of materials considered necessary in conjure work. Some of the items historically used in “mojo bags” included coins such as dimes, dried animal skins, herbs, roots, beans, bones, nails, graveyard dirt, snuff tobacco, lodestones, pepper, sulfur, feathers, salt, shells, a rabbit’s foot and flour.

Among African American communities, the use of these bags and conjure became known as the “poor man’s lawyer.” The perception of power within these bags among practitioners is very strong. In 1894, the Kentucky Court of Appeals was exposed to this concept when a case involving murder revealed the power in the belief of the mojo hand. Warren County resident Edgar Bell testified to shooting and killing a man. Bell testified that while he was responsible for the shooting, there was something that motivated his violent act. Bell explained to the court that he had been “Hoodooed,” resulting from a cursed object he was given. Bell showed the court the contents of a small purse, including a rabbit’s foot, a pair of dice and a “Hoodoo bag.” Bell explained that he believed he had received a bag that would bring him good luck but instead had been given a “Hoodoo bag” that exerted a powerful influence over him. He explained to the judge that he was under such a tremendous influence that he was not in control of himself when he shot the victim. The court did not believe Bell’s explanation, and he was sentenced to life in prison. Even though Bell alleged it to be an “evil” bag, he insisted on keeping the bag as he went into the penitentiary. When the court took the bag as an exhibit in the case, Bell objected strongly. He began to grow nervous. Officials claimed that Bell lost his appetite and within two days began to grow ill. Within a few days, Bell died while in prison. Some believe that Bell felt like he could not live without access to the bag.

One of the primary functions of the rootworker was to serve his/her fellow man. A term commonly used to describe the rootworker was “gifted.” This higher calling as a spiritual worker gave the rootworker insight into a realm that the common man was not privy to see. A child who had become ill or a wife who had been betrayed may be the targets of a “trick.” Rootworkers would serve as magical therapists, listening to the symptoms of clients with a finger on the pulse of the supernatural. What might appear as a common illness or dilemma may be the result of a magical working against a client. The rootworker would “diagnose” his or her client’s dilemma and prescribe the appropriate plan of action to combat it. One practice that was used by conjurers was to place a silver object in the mouth of the client. If the object turned black, then it signaled that the client had been “tricked.”

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Roots may be used to attract financial success. This particular root was found tied to a dollar bill (to “draw in” money) above the doorway of a West Tennessee conjurer’s shop. Author’s collection.

A common belief among the rootworker culture was that a material object was being used to “curse” or affect the client and that the “hand” must be located and destroyed. This belief and practice can be traced to African traditional religious cultures. Even today, traditional healers in Africa seek out “cursed” objects that may be buried on a client’s property. Hoodoo doctors could help clients “uncross” specific curses that had been placed on them. The destruction of these objects results in a breaking of the curse against the client. Some conjurers used the term “left-hand work” to denote someone who could create and set hands, while the “right-hand work” referred to the destruction of charms.

Some rootworkers would also have the ability to “turn” the trick back on the person who cast it. The conjurer would seek out the object used in laying the trick. This object could be affected by the conjurer and reversed. This reversal would send the supernatural power back onto the suspected target. Those involved in the conjure profession needed to know how to place “tricks” on people in order to know how to “remove” or “turn” them back. Some root doctors would burn “hands” believed to have been used to curse a client. This practice was one of the many reasons why rootworkers were a necessary part of the African American culture. Their ability to remedy issues that were caused by supernatural powers made them valuable to the community. Natural illnesses could be caused by natural circumstances such as cold and hot temperatures, while unnatural illnesses were caused by supernatural occurrences.

If you wanted to “lay a trick” on someone, there were a number of things that you could do to set the supernatural in motion. One of the tricks involved taking someone’s footprints or “tracks” where they had stepped. The belief was that you could affect the track and it would affect the person who walked on it. Some tricks involved placing something like a specific powder or herb into the path of a person. Once they stepped onto the object, they came under the influence of magic. Some charms could merely be brushed against in order for them to send energy to their recipient. Some objects considered “charged” were placed in the shoes of victims. Herbs used in tricks may be chewed in the presence of the target of the spell. Some tricks involved taking pieces of the victim’s hair, fingernails or saliva. Clothing would be taken from the victim and used in “workings” that were believed to affect the victim. Blood, sweat and even dandruff could be used to affect a person. Photographs of victims may be used in spellwork to affect the intended victim. Objects known as “conjure balls” came from taking a round bundle of materials and burying it on the property of the intended victim. Bottles filled with various materials would be placed around the home or business of intended victims.

Some plantation owners feared the ability of conjurers among the slave population and their ability to work with plants that could prove to be poisonous. Conjure doctors were suspected of “poisoning” whites in some cases. The conjurer’s knowledge of pharmacology was thought to be able to let him dissect materials from plants that could cause death.

Hoodoo practices were frequently used to assist in matters of the heart. Spiritual doctors would perform various rituals that would set forth action in the spiritual realm. One example of a love working involved taking hair from a woman’s head as she slept and placing it inside a crack in the wall or floor. The belief was that as long as this hair was trapped, the woman would remain with her lover. Another working involved obtaining the dirt from the tracks of a man or woman. Once the track was obtained, it was mixed with dirt from the tracks of the client. The two bits of dirt were combined with pieces of red flannel cloth. A purple onion was then juiced, and the residue from the onion was poured onto the cloth. The cloth amulet was then carried by the client to make the target of their affections fall in love.

Rootworkers prescribed various herbs that could be used to affect the heart. Shame weed is an herb that could be chewed. Once the herb was chewed, the client would be instructed to spit into his or her hand. In order to secure a relationship with their lover, they would shake hands with the intended party. There are a number of Hoodoo-related products marketed specifically for matters of love: male- and female-shaped candles, bride- and groom-shaped candles and specific “dedicated” candles for romantic workings. Just as there were tricks and workings to gain love, there were also those for breaking up lovers. Conjurers would obtain dust from the tracks of a couple, place them in a bag and throw them in a fire in order to destroy their relationship. Materials such as 4 Thieves vinegar were used to break up happy couples as well.

The artifacts and practices associated with Hoodoo, conjure and African American folk magic gave many blacks in the South strength. This was a threat to the institution of slavery and racism. Spiritual strength provided the potential for an uprising among black communities in the southern United States. The culture of Hoodoo and conjure began to emerge in the South like a rising tide.