Magic in the United States

Hoodoo’s origin lies in resistance and survival. Developed by enslaved Black Americans during the antebellum South, Hoodoo, Rootwork, and Conjure practitioners provided medical care and protection. These practices continued to evolve under the continued injustices of Jim Crow and moved North with Black Americans during the Great Migration. And they flourish to this day, foundational to many distin...

Perhaps the most famous magician of all time, Harry Houdini, had a complicated lifelong relationship with Spiritualist mediums. Spiritualism was as well-known in the United States as the great illusionist, himself, but schemers used seances to swindle grieving families, attracting legal crackdowns and the scorn of Harry Houdini. Houdini publicly debunked many mediums as frauds. Many Spiritualist m...

Pennsylvania Dutch powwower Nelson D. Rehmeyer was murdered in 1928. The Philadelphia Record called the murder trial “the weirdest and most curiously fascinating [trial] in the history of modern jurisprudence.” Because Rehmeyer’s killers feared he was practicing witchcraft against them, the trial captured national attention – and nearly destroyed the practice of powwow, a Pennsylvania Dutch healin...

It’s the late 1980s. With a computer, modem, and phone line, you can  log into PODSnet – the Pagan and Occult Distribution System network. It’s an early BBS, or Bulletin Board System, and for the first time, users could communicate with like-minded individuals all over the country within hours. This ancient digitech was asynchronous and expensive, but practitioners shared their spells and experime...

In this episode, we’ll meet two fascinating people who are remixing beliefs, spirituality, and religion every day. Dr. Rev. Aaron Davis is a minister and hospice worker. He is also a practitioner of Lucumi, Espiritismo, and a Rootworker. Thorn Mooney is a religious studies scholar and academic. She is also a Wiccan High Priestess. They share a distinctly American story of seeking one’s religious a...

Embark on an otherworldly journey from the rustic farms of Pennsylvania to bewitching California with Magic in the United States. Discover the witches, wizards, charmers, and healers of America’s most misunderstood practices. Hear the remarkable tales of magic in the lives of everyday Americans. Listen on October 24th to Magic in the United States, available on all major podcast platforms.

Discover the hidden magical realms of the United States. From modern sorcerous practices to the age-old blending of religion and spirituality, the mystical and mysterious are happening all around us. Join host Heather Freeman on October 24th to Magic in the United States, available on all major podcast platforms.