Speaking the Unapologetic Truth
Hoodoo has always been a threat, not because it is “evil,” but because it is powerful. And in a world built on slavery, oppression, and control, the last thing those in power wanted was for Black people to know their strength, their heritage, and their divine authority. That’s why Hoodoo was demonized. That’s why fear was planted in our communities. And that’s why even today, some of our own people clutch their Bibles and call Hoodoo “the devil”. When in truth, it is the very thing that kept us alive.
This is Hoodoo Heritage Month, a time to reclaim what was stolen, buried, and lied about. A time to tell the truth about the horrors of slavery, the weaponization of Christianity, and the fear tactics that ripped us from our power. A time to remind you that Hoodoo is your birthright, your survival, your inheritance.
So let’s talk about why people are afraid of Hoodoo, and why it’s time to walk boldly in it.
The Cruelty of Slavery: The Truth They Don’t Teach
Slavery wasn’t just labor. It was terror. It was calculated cruelty designed to break the body, spirit, and soul of African people and Indigenous people.
Rape was routine. Enslaved women were seen as property and breeding stock. Their bodies were violated at will, not only to satisfy the master’s lust but to create more enslaved children for profit. Husbands and fathers were forced to watch in helpless rage.
Breeding farms existed. Men were forced to “stud” like animals. Women were bred for stronger children. Entire generations were born into chains, their value measured in dollars, not dignity.
Mutilation and lynching were public theater. Husbands were castrated, whipped until flesh fell from their backs, burned alive. Lynching was used to terrorize entire communities, often with white families watching and celebrating.
Children were fed to alligators. Yes, babies were used as bait thrown into swamps and rivers to lure gators, while their mothers screamed in agony.
Human skin was turned into leather. Shoes, belts, and furniture were sometimes made from the skin of enslaved people, grotesque trophies of cruelty.
We were mocked and ridiculed. Black men and women were caricatured, laughed at, stripped of dignity, and treated as less than human.
Forbidden to read. Literacy was punished by whipping or death. The only book often allowed was the Bible, not for liberation, but as a tool of obedience.
This was not ancient history. This was deliberate. And it was all to keep us from knowing our own spiritual and cultural power.
Christianity as a Weapon of Control
Christianity was not given to our people to save us. It was forced on us to control us. Slave masters knew exactly what they were doing. They gave us the Bible, but only the verses that taught obedience, submission, and fear of hell.
Enslaved people were forbidden to read full scripture. Sermons were often delivered by white preachers who carefully selected verses that said “Slaves, obey your masters.” Enslaved preachers who did gain platforms often echoed those same verses, not always out of choice, but out of survival.
Christianity, in the hands of oppressors, became a tool of:
Control through fear. Fear of damnation kept many enslaved people from rebelling.
Obedience. By twisting scripture, masters justified slavery as “God’s will.”
Cultural erasure. African traditions, languages, and spiritual practices were branded as “witchcraft” or “the devil.”
So I ask you:
Why would any person of color defend a spirituality that destroyed our families, our culture, and our cities?
Why would we believe Christianity was meant to save us when historically, it was used to enslave us?
Logically, it doesn’t make sense. And yet, centuries of systemic brainwashing have left many of our people defending the very system that oppressed us.
The Demonization of African spirituality
African spiritual practices were demonized not because it was evil, but because it was effective.
Enslaved Africans carried with them the knowledge of herbs, roots, and spirit work. Hoodoo gave them ways to protect themselves, resist, and connect with ancestors. It gave them remedies when there were no doctors, justice when there was no law, and hope when there was no freedom.
Slave masters feared this. They saw the power of African spirituality. They saw how it inspired rebellion, courage, and community. And so, they spread lies:
That Hoodoo and African spirituality was devil worship.
That Hoodoo was evil, dangerous, and dark.
That practicing Hoodoo would bring punishment from God.
Generations later, those lies still linger. Many Black people have inherited fear of their own ancestral practices without ever questioning where that fear came from.
The Black Church Today: A Place of Strife, Judgement, and Complacency
The Black church became a center of survival during Reconstruction and segregation. It gave community and protection. But today, too often, it has become a place of strife, division, and stagnation.
Instead of spiritual empowerment, many churches focus on judgment and control while the congregation struggles. Instead of breaking generational curses, they preach fear. Instead of healing, they sometimes perpetuate trauma.
It is not that faith communities have no value. But we must admit the truth: the modern Black church does not hold the power of our ancestors’ Hoodoo. It cannot, because it was built on the very system that demonized it.
Why People Fear Hoodoo Today
So why do so many still fear Hoodoo?
1. Generational Brainwashing. Lies repeated become truth to those who never question.
2. Misconceptions. Many confuse Hoodoo with Hollywood witchcraft or satanism, both false.
3. Internalized Oppression. When you’ve been told for centuries your heritage is evil, it takes courage to break free.
Fear of Hoodoo is not fear of evil. It is fear of freedom. Fear of remembering who you are.
Hoodoo as Reclamation of Power
Hoodoo is survival. Hoodoo is resilience. Hoodoo is the whisper of your grandmother praying Psalms over her children, the roots your grandfather carried in his pocket for luck, the candle your aunt lit at midnight for justice.
It is protection. It is healing. It is prosperity. It is community.
Reclaiming Hoodoo means reclaiming your birthright. It means no longer fearing what saved your ancestors. It means walking with your head high, your altar lit, your oils anointed, your ancestors honored.
That’s why I created my Hoodoo 101 Basics Class to break the chains of fear and reintroduce you to your inheritance. That’s why I crafted Rich Bitch Conjure Oils, tools to cleanse, protect, and open the roads your ancestors paved.
Ritual: Breaking the Fear of Hoodoo
If you are ready to release fear, here is a ritual for you.
You’ll Need:
A white candle (purity, protection)
Angelica Cleansing Oil or Can’t Touch This Protection Oil from Rich Bitch Conjure
A bowl of water (offering to Spirit)
Florida Water or sage for cleansing
A Bible (to reclaim the scripture once used against us)
Steps:
1. Cleanse your space with sage or Florida Water.
2. Place the bowl of water on your altar as an offering.
3. Dress your candle with Angelica Cleansing Oil.
4. Light the candle on a Sunday.
5. Read Psalm 23 or Psalm 91 aloud, not as a slave, but as a free person reclaiming power.
6. Pray aloud:
“Ancestors, I release the lies that kept me bound. I walk in my power, fearless, guided, and protected.”
7. Sit in silence, allowing fear to dissolve in the flame.
Affirmations
I release the lies and fears planted in me.
I reclaim my birthright as a powerful conjurer.
I walk in the footsteps of my ancestors with pride.
I honor Hoodoo as my heritage, not my fear.
I am free. I am powerful. I am unshaken.
Call to Action
This Hoodoo Heritage Month, stop fearing your power. Stop defending what enslaved you. Start walking boldly in what your ancestors left you.
✨ Join my Hoodoo 101 Basics Class.
✨ Explore my Rich Bitch Conjure Oils like Angelica Cleansing, Can’t Touch This Protection, and Blockbuster.
✨ Light your altar. Call on your ancestors. Reclaim your heritage.
Hoodoo is not to be feared. Hoodoo is to be lived.