THE CONJURING OF AMERICA by Lindsey Stewart - NPR 'There's magic at work in this new batch of books'

NPR | July 29, 2025

A philosopher and professor at the University of Memphis, Stewart brings scholarly rigor and literary sensibility to a lesser-known part of American history: the role played by conjure women, matriarchal figures of magic and healing, in Black history and American culture writ large. Stewart traces the influence of the concept, and the Black women who experienced it, along branching paths through seemingly distant — yet surprisingly linked — historical landmarks, such as the Civil Rights Movement, VooDoo and even Vicks VapoRub.

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