Feminist philosopher Dr. Lindsey Stewart&r squo\;s book\, \;The Conjuring of America: Mojos\, Mermaids\, Medi cine\, and 400 Years of Black Women&rsquo\;s Magic\, tells the storie s of Negro Mammies of slavery\; the Voodoo Queens and Blues Women of Recon struction\; and the Granny Midwives and textile weavers of the Jim Crow er a. These women\, in secrecy and subterfuge\, courageously and devotedly co ntinued their practices and worship for centuries and passed down their tr aditions. \;
\nConjure informs our lives in ways remarkable and ordinary&mdash\;from traditional medicines that informed the creation of V icks VapoRub and the rise of Aunt Jemima&rsquo\;s Pancake Mix\, to the ori ginal magic of Disney&rsquo\;s \;The Little Mermaid (2023)\,& nbsp\;and the true origins of the all-American classic blue jean.
\nFrom the moment enslaved Africans first arrived on these shores\, conjure was heavily regulated and even outlawed. Now\, Stewart uncovers new contou rs of American history\, sourcing letters from the enslaved\, dispatches f rom the lore of Oshun and other African mystics. \;The Conjuring o f America \;is a love letter to the real magic Black women used\, their herbs\, food\, textiles\, song\, and dance\, used to sow rebellion\ , freedom\, and hope.
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About the Author: \;
\nLindsey Stewart is a Black feminist philos opher and an Associate Professor of philosophy at the University of Memphi s. She is the author of \;The Politics of Black Joy. Her work has been featured in \;Blavity\, Signs\, Hypati a\, and the \;British Journal for the History of Philosophy\, and she holds a 2021 Michael Beaney Prize. She lives in Memphis\, Te nnessee.
\n\nDisclaimer: \; \;
\nThe views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they repres ent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an en dorsement or recommendation by Indianapolis Public Library.
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