A Chronology of Chesnutt’s life and work and a Selected Bibliography are also included. Waid, and Glenda Carpio.įourteen conjure tales by one of America’s most influential African Americanįiction writers. A conjure doctor is the name given to a person who works roots for the purpose of healing or harming and manipulating people, places and things for a specific purpose. Stepto, John Edgar Wideman, Werner Sollors, Houston A.
“Modern Criticism” demonstrates rich and enduring interest in The Conjure Stories with ten important essays by Robert Hemenway, William L. “Early Criticism” collects critical notices for The Conjure Woman that suggest the volume’s initial reception, assessments by William Dean Howells and Benjamin Brawley, and a biographical excerpt by the author’s daughter, Helen Chesnutt. “Contexts” presents a wealth of materials chosen by the editors to enrich the reader’s understanding of these canonical stories, including a map of the landscape of the conjure tales, Chesnutt’s journal entry as he began writing fiction of the South, as well as writings by Chesnutt, William Wells Brown, and Paul Laurence Dunbar, among others, on the stories’ central motifs-folklore, superstition, voodoo, race, and social identity in the South following the Civil War.
(The text of “The Dumb Witness” was established from two typescripts held at the archives of Fisk University.) The stories are accompanied by a thorough and thought-provoking introduction, detailed explanatory annotations, and illustrative materials. With one exception, the text of each tale is that of the original publication. Check out the profiles below for their stories.This Norton Critical Edition of The Conjure Stories arranges the tales chronologically by composition date, allowing readers to discern how Chesnutt experimented with plots and characters and with the idea of the conjure story over time. I have included healers, faith healers, granny women, voodoo priests and priestesses, midwives, spiritual doctors, reverends and reverend mothers and all form of healers who utilized various forms of conjure in their work. Atter I stirred de lard, I didn't see 'em no mo'."ĭocumenting conjure doctors and spiritual mothers is a work in progress. So mammy made me stir de fresh lard when dey was rendin' hit, 'caze dat cyures you of seein' de sperits. For example, "Uncle Henry" Barnes, who says he was born in 1358, near Suggsville, Clarke County, Alabama shared the following in the Alabama ex slave narratives: "My mammy said I was borned wid a 'zernin' (discerning) eye to see sperits, an' I seed sump'n lak a cow wid no haid. Sometimes, folks did not see being born with the gift as something desirable and there were things that could be done to remove the gift of sight, especially if the individual begins to have disturbing visions. Past by virtue of holding the title of “conjure doctor” or “root Guarantee the person has any supernatural powers as was implied in the Or off the internet though gaining knowledge in this manner does not Nowadays, many people learn from teachers on
Having had a divine revelation from God or having received special The conjure doctor holds near and dear the belief in conjuration and magic stemming from the ancestral knowledge of his or her forebears. One’s head, being born the seventh son or daughter of a seventh son orĭaughter, having learned from an elder, often well-known, conjurer, A conjure doctor is the name given to a person who works roots for the purpose of healing or harming and manipulating people, places and things for a specific purpose. The source of their power varies from conjure doctor to conjure doctorĪnd is often attributed to things such as being born with a caul over Power of herbs, roots, bones, graveyard dirt and a variety of curios –īoth natural and human made – fill the conjure doctors’ trick bag.Ĭonjure doctors also go by the names hoodoo doctor, spiritual doctor, hoodoo root doctor, root worker, conjure worker, hoodoo practitioner and conjure man or conjure woman.Ĭonjure doctors can be male or female and are found in every ruralĬommunity where their supernatural powers are implicitly believed in. The conjure doctor holds near andĭear the belief in conjuration and magic stemming from the ancestral Purpose of healing or harming and manipulating people, places and things for a Conjure doctor is the name given to a person who works roots for the
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