Happy Black History Month Bougie Bruja Babies!! You didn’t think I forgot did you?? I could NEVER. I know I have black followers from all over the world, so whether you’re African American, Afro-Latinx, Afro-European, Afro-Asian, Afro-Australian, or you’re straight from the mother land herself, then hoodoo is YOUR history. We can all come together to bond over the beauty that is our blackness and brujeria. So sit back, relax, grab your grimoire, and let’s put the BLACK back in BLACK magic.

The History of Hoodoo:

So what is a hoodoo? Many hoodoo traditions stem from the Bakongo people— a group of Bantu people— from Central Africa. However, first documentations of the word hoodoo itself derives from the Ewe word hudu meaning “spirit work,” a language that was spoken in countries like Ghana, Togo, and Benin. It’s also possible that hoodoo practices historically comes from the Winward Coast between Liberia and the Ivory Coast) and Senegambia (between Senegal and Gambia). Hoodoo is an umbrella term for African American spirituality doctrines that practice divination, spells/hexes, healing work, and building ancestor connections and conjurings. There were different names for hoodoo practitioners such as root doctors, hoodoo doctors, two heads, conjure men and women, and spirit workers, but their duties were all the same: to heal the sick, detect and hex threats, bring forth good fortune, predict the future, find lost objects, and cast an occasional love spell or two. These are brujas that can break the veil between the physical and spiritual realm through ritual. This ritual would require using environmental elements to invoke divine deities. Why wait til Halloween when we can do this whenever? Ironically, October aka “spooky season” is also now sharing its spotlight with Hoodoo as October is now also considered Hoodoo History Month. Hoodoo can further be defined as “a tradition of synthesis and hybridity.” It’s a mixture of multiple theologies, including but not limited to: Yoruba religion, Igbo religion, Christianity, Islam, Catholicism, Abrahamic religions, trace Native-Indigenous religions, and European Paganism.

And along with hoodoo there’s root-work. Root work, which can also be defined as conjuring, is the act of summoning the dead or divine spirits by using herbs and other organic material found in nature. Root work just a reminder to get back in touch with your root chakras (your ancestors, your family, your culture, etc.). Hoodoo ideals were brought over from West Africa during the Atlantic slave trade, and spread across the African diaspora and western countries. These included countries such as Cuba, Haiti, Barbados, St. Lucia, The Dominican Republic, The United Stares, and the continent of Europe.

Hoodoo is historically important because not only was it a way to stay connected to African roots, but people also practiced it as a form of protection via potions and poisons from evil spirits (and evil enslavers). It’s a symbol of resistance, a sign of resilience, a way to stay connected to one’s roots, but it was also revenge. It was one way the slaves sought to end their suffering. Our ancestors were forced into a world that was not our own, and hoodoo was a way to create space and make it ours. There are a plethora of stories of slaves using magic for revolution including: the 1712 slave revolt in colonial New York where a witch doctor by the name of Peter gave the Akan people of Ghana magical powder possibly made of cemetery dirt to provide support and protection from the ancestors. Meanwhile, slaves in Alabama would cover their feet and clothes with dirt from the graveyard to prevent slave catchers dogs from finding them. This is what they called “conjuring confusion.” Furthermore, Black sailors in the 1830s carried mojo bags and talismans as good luck charms for safe travel. There’s more stories of a black witch doctor from Georgia by the name of Uncle Charles Hall who provided slaves with charms of protection, and perfected the art of anointing roots and using them for protection (which we’ll read about a little later with Fredrick Douglass). There was even a slave by the name of Old Julie who was successful at conjuring death of colonist, they tried to sell her. But she didn’t want to leave so she they didn’t make her leave— that’s how strong her magic was. There’s even more history of hoodoo post-emancipation with practitioners in the Jim Crow era and black panther party. I can keep going on forever, but fact of the matter is— hoodoo is OUR history. It’s BLACK history.

However, hoodoo is not as openly acknowledged, accepted, and practiced as it could by African American. This could be due to the colonization of African Americans by Christian doctrine, and the demonization then loss of their own cultures. Hoodoo was either practiced in secret during slavery, or completely erased from a lineages existence in fear of being caught, captured and punished, or worse, killed. Colonizers tried to convince slaves that anything they previously practiced was simply superstition or sinister. Regardless of the punishment, a rich culture of hoodoo was still practiced in the Souther region of the americas, particularly in states such as Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and New Orleans. As a matter of fact, we can see a heavy hoodoo influence in New Orleans in the movie The Princess And The Frog. It’s magic that turns Tiana into a frog, and the most powerful magic of all (love) that turns her back human.

Hoodoo was furthermore deemed as “black magic” as a way to demonize black people. The point was to associate darkness with the Devil, and African-American alchemy to evil. This was means to control melanated people and what we practiced (because it’s okay when a white man named Christ does, but God forbid we do it!). Anyway, magic is more than just black or white, darkness or light. Yes there are positive energies and negative energies you can work with, magically speaking, but equating these bad characteristics to Black people and their root work is just rooted in racism. This is why the rise in spirituality is so special today. Just like the modernization of the “n word” in musical slang and main stream media, it’s a way to take back something that was once ours and deemed as derogatory, and making it our own. Harvards Center of the Study Of World Religions put it best:

“Like their enslaved forebears, today’s practitioners cultivate ancestral spirituality in support of individuals and communities, and to heal diverse afflictions of the body politic, intergenerational trauma, racial and sexual violence, and economic impoverishment.”

And why did colonizers fear hoodoo so much? Because people fear power they don’t have or can’t explain. If it was “exotic” or out of western norm, it was generally considered evil. This was the fear of “ways of knowing that are often labeled as non-rational” as Giovanna Parmigiani of Harvard university put it. If you couldn’t see it with the eye or move it with the hands, it was “wrong.” If it wasn’t a ritual part of Christian or Catholic religion, it was “wrong.” And even though hoodoo is not formerly considered a religion itself, it is considered syncretic in nature because it combines multiple religious convictions like the ones listed above. This is also the difference between hoodoo and voodoo, as not to be confused. One is a religion (voodoo, practiced primarily in Mexico) and one isn’t a religion. Particularly because voodoo has its own church and leaders while hoodoo is more free forming.

So in this awakening and 21st century “Renaissance” as Beyonce would put it, our people are radicalizing root work one again. Because remember: root work and Hoodoo is OUR story, not HIStory. We should be using it to address intergenerational trauma, accept our ancestry, and reject beliefs that ridicule our historical religions. Anywho, speaking of Beyonce, let’s dive into the 16 black celebs I just KNOW do hoodoo.

Welcome to your modern day witch trial, celebrities of Salem. Court is now in session.

1. Beyonce

You don’t get to be as big of a star as Bey without working with the stars. She is the Queen Bee of Alchemy! Whether you love her or hate her, you’ll have something to say about her. She is in fact all the buzz! 🐝👑 She definitely deserves her crown because not only did she manifest it: she was made for it. And the way people disrespect her success, you’d think we were in a modern day Salem Witch Trial and she was Sarah Good. And mind you— the Salem witch trials was just a mass crucification of many women accused of magic, but particularly including black women or WOC, whom today are still the predominant practitioners of hoodoo. Except there’s no swatting this Queen Bey away. No pesticides or people can take away this queens power. She worked for it, she earned it, and she deserves it.

2. Michael Jackson

Following our Queen Bey, we have the King of Pop (and we don’t call him that for nothing). We already know the impact he’s had on the world. His determination and imagination lead down the incredible career path he reigned for 50 years. I won’t go too deep into detail on how I know, but just know, I be knowing. He’s not just the King of Pop, but he is most definitely the prankster everyone said he is, even in the after life. His alchemy is so strong it defies death. Trust me— he soul is very much still alive. Energy can not die. And with that, all I’m gonna say is… hee hee 🤭

3. Blueface

Lmao. Again, don’t ask me how I know, I just be knowing. Let’s just say, he’s one of the funnier interactions I’ve had in the spirit realm (let’s just say, after he hit it, he say “Blueface babbbyyyy” LMAO). Anyway, before you say “but he’s a hood nigga, hood niggas don’t do magic.” LET ME TELL YALL— ain’t no hoodoo without HOOD! It’s a HOOD in every HOODOO. The reason the gangster guys get away with it is because no one ever believes that they do it. But underneath that Blueface is a black man that practices magic, just like the rest of his root working creole ancestors. How do you think he manifest all the blue faces? 💵 (And Chrisean ain’t crazy for no reason, I’m just saying. One of def did a love spell that failed and I don’t think it was her lbvs).

4. Ice Spice

She literally told us she manifested her fame, fortune, and life style. She didn’t sugar coat it or act like it’s some big secret. And she’s right: your thoughts can become your reality. She’s not just the princess of Brooklyn— she’s a quantum physics Queen! She shifted her timeline to the one where she knew she was a star. I admire her light and pray she doesn’t let anyone dim it. As long as she continues to let her haters be her motivators, she can be on top of the music (and magic) game. And oh how I WISH I can look at her social media to see how she manifested this, but she deleted a lot of her old stuff (I don’t blame ya bish!). But I can definitely tell she did beauty magic and mirror work. I know a daughter of Aphrodite when I see one. The orange hair on top of her red hair + her cap sun and sag Venus gives it away. Hairstyles are a sure fire way to stand out from the crowd when you want to be famous, and Ice Spices fire orange fro gives her that spotlight. Btw, you made a baddie Betty boop Ice!

5. Victoria Monet

Another Queen who admittedly alchemized her life style. She said she practiced how she’d hold her Grammy, and now she’s got one! You can tell she worked very hard for her name, and her music tells her story. But now she’s working smarter. She’s visualizing. She’s being vocal about what she wants (she is a vocalist after all!). She’s not waiting for opportunity to knock, she’s opening those doors herself. Life is but a dream, Miss Monet, and I commend you for waking up and chasing yours. I thank you for walking so I can run, and I hope to follow in those foot steps. I hope you continue to ‘be on a roll, and make money moves. I pray for your protection, and that bad vibes stay off of you. I hope you continue to treat your goals like property and collect them like Monopoly.’ ~ Victoria Monet x Monopoly

6. Fredrick Douglass

He admitted to seeing a hoodoo practitioner while escaping to freedom in his autobiography. The hoodoo practitioner gave him a root known as a “John Conquerer Root.” This root has magical properties known to protect black people from physical or spiritual harm using hoodoo. Once anointed, the root can ward off evil. Fredrick Douglass has seen the power of this plant himself, as one day a slave breaker named Covey tried to fight Douglass. Covey was over powered by Douglass and never bothered him again. Douglass believe that the power of this root kept him from being whipped. The roof itself comes from a tale of a black mystique hero who was either a Prince of Congo who got enslaved, or the husband to the “daughter of the devil.”

7. Erykah Badu

Miss ma’am sells PUSSY INCENSE. So if you think she not all up in, around, and through the craft, you’ve got another thing coming. Her music in itself is magic. Her voice can put a spell on you. I hope she remembers her power and that it doesn’t need to be compared to any of the other queens. We all have our crowns, and we don’t need to rule a country, the world, or the music scene to prove it. Self control is the best control. I love miss Badu, I really do. And I hope she remembers to have pussy power while she sells her pussy incense. We don’t need to put ourselves against other Queens. All us African Americans are royal in our own right.

8. Dominique Young (Lil Baby)

All I can say is, the Devil works hard but Lil Baby works harder 😭 Again, don’t think these hood niggas don’t do hoodoo. They learned a thing or two from they grandmas. I am not your Jada Wayda, Lil Baby! But I’m flattered, truly 🩷 All I’m gonna say is… sometimes coming first is more important, Dominique. I’m tired of being put last.

9. Oprah

She has actively practiced magic on the Oprah Winfrey show, and she’s definitely not shy to acknowledge her ancestral African roots. From poverty to private jets, Oprah Winfrey manifested a life and amount of money that many wish to live, but few get to experience. She read my mind when I met in her college, I don’t care if you believe me or not. I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care! SHE READ MY MIND! I saw it in her eyes! It was all in the eyes!! I swear she shot me the evil eye lmao And I mean, I didn’t say the nicest thing about her in my head, but she didn’t do the nicest thing to me either. Her security almost assaulted me and she didn’t say anything. I called her a “wicked witch bitch” after that in my head and YALL 😭 I swear she heard me. She got up and walked away after that giving me that “I heard you bitch” look lmao yea she’s in the shits deep.

10. China McClain

Let’s just say there’s a reason why lil mamas was all “Jesus Wept” for a while lmao! She dabbled in some shit she shouldn’t have and faced her karma. She got that fear of the LORDT spooked into her lmao. Girrrrllll you were in all them spooky movies and shit and you ain’t know this shit was real? This not a game. Life isn’t a movie Miss McClain! Magic is very REAL. This isn’t Hubie Halloween girlfriend. You was calling all the monsters but ended up calling in some karma, then the gospel 😭 It’s time to be a Grown Up! You can’t just tap into magic on people, you better know their descendants!!

Lmao. But you live and you learn. You’re young and you’re dumb. But don’t worry McClain. We’re cool bro. I think you’re a sweet girl, you just got into some sour shit. Like a little sour patch kid <3 I wouldn’t expect any less of a Virgo.

11. Tia & Tamera Mowry

Oh you think our witchy Disney princesses don’t dabble in the occult themselves? They definitely do. These twitches are totally aware of the game, and they play it well! I don’t even think they’re fully aware of the power they have. But Tia? Tamera? You twins are literally BIG in the spirit and physical realm. Don’t be afraid of your alchemy. You deserve it. Own it. It’s yours. Manifest!!

12. Chloe Bailey

You are the sweetest alchemists I’ve ever met in the spirit world. Take your own advice Chloe. The same way you told me— “don’t let your negative thoughts get in your way. Do whatever you have to do to make sure you smile today.” Thank you so much. I wouldn’t be the bougie bruja I am today if it wasn’t for you. You are MAGIC girl. I can’t wait to see you in movies, musicals, and more. You always had that fine, rich auntie vibe. Now you really are one haha! (And by the way, your Betty boop costume SLAYED! 10/10)

13. Halle Bailey

We’re both Aries Halle… and it shows lmao. We def had some ram energy, butting heads a few times. But through all our interactions, we’ve both grown. Beautifully at that. You’ve been a great life coach on me Halle. It’s definitely been tough love lmao but nevertheless, love. You push me to better in all the best ways. You have a voice like an angel, so it’s no wonder you look like one too! May your light continue to shine and your career continue to be bright. And congrats on your baby boy! You’re such a hot mama 😍

13. Latto

You can hit the latto girl for real!! I know you been in the game a LONG time and you had a lot of help from your family. I think you’re someone that’s real in touch with yourself, but you could use a little more shadow work. I think you’re someone else who has so much power you can use for good, but I don’t think you know 100% how to harness it. Remember we don’t compete, we only complete because where your energy goes, it flows. So don’t feed into the fuck shit girl, we know your raps eat!! At this point, you only gotta prove shit to yourself. Do that shadow work. Don’t let life make you different. I know life is a bitch, but make sure it turns you into THAT bitch, not A bitch (Ps Sex Lies is like my favorite song, you snapped girl)

14. Jada Pinkett Smith

With kids like Jaden and Willow, Jada Pinkett-Smith is definitely a manifesting monarch. She’s deep into the spiritual shits for real. You can tell she’s in touch with herself and that she continues to grow. She’s an open book and free spirit. And some may say she wears her heart on her sleeve too much, but in my opinion, at least she can be herself, whole heartedly and honestly. She doesn’t care what anyone says to her or about her life style. If she likes it, I love it. She never once forced her kids to be anything they’re not. She let them explore every part of their being and encouraged all their creative interest. She just wants them to be themselves, which is extremely admirable. Because she’s in touch with herself, they’re in touch with themselves. They def do hoodoo in the Smith household. And I’ve had quite a few interactions with you Jada and they were nothing but nice. I’m so happy to share your name.

15. Josephine Baker

Her spirit is very much of alive, because remember: energy can not die. Consciousness can not die. It simply… converts. She was the Beyonce of the 1920s (and Beyoncé’s bestie in a past life— but that’s a story for another time). Josephine has told us time and time again that she drew her power and strength from the heavens with her prayers. I guess we can say she manifested by word of mouth. And possessing the title of “Black Venus,” I wouldn’t be surprised if Miss Josephine worked very closely with Aphrodite as well. She was beautiful, courageous, creative, and most definitely a conjurer.

And if I’m so sure her energy transformed, you may be wondering, where is our French Queen now? Well… she’s part of the proletariat, and living her destined karma like everyone else. She’s had many other dreams she wanted to live, and one of them was living a normal life for as long as she could. And a little Jay bird told me her names means karma now— good karma. It also means “wise” and “knowing one/psychic.” She went to college, studied pre law, graduated top of her class, and hopes to be a judge one day. Don’t worry— she’ll be back on stage. Her light was just needed in other parts of the world.

And how do I know all these things?? Well the same way I somehow know you guys’ birthdays, pet names, jobs, and more without you telling me. Anyway, here’s the history on hoodoo and what I think of the celebs that I KNOW do it.

I told y’all… it’s JUDGMENT DAY BITCHES! Lol

Honorable mentions:

17. Nina Simone (the singer of I Put A Spell On You, duh!)

18. Kevin Hart (his ass real life funny lmao)

19. Lebron James (sorry I returned 15 years younger than you, we were such besties 😭💔)

20. Eartha Kitt (oh Miss Madame Zeroni we KNOW you weren’t playing a character, you were just playing yourself)

I hope you enjoyed this article! Until next time Xx your Local Bougie Bruja 😘