Conjure, Hoodoo, and Rootwork are all terms which describe folk magic practices and traditions created by African-Americans.

These practices have their origin in African practices, and were adapted and modified by people who were stolen from their homes and forced into slavery. These African people were denied the freedom of their own religious practices, as well as access to the roots, plants, and animal products they used in their native traditions. They were forced to adapt and change their practices to fit into a world they were placed in against their will. Hoodoo is, at its core, the magic of an oppressed people. It is about overcoming, protecting, and surviving against the odds.

Over many years, other magical practices become syncretized with Hoodoo. Native American slaves shared what they knew and taught Black slaves about local flora and fauna. Ideas from European and Asian cultures blended in along with influences from Protestant Christianity, Judaism, and the Spiritualist movement. Hoodoo grew, adapted, and flourished. Many practitioners from the past had no real name for this magic; they simply called it "the work" or "the things we do." It is an important and integral part of both our magical history in America and the Black community today.

What Hoodoo is not...

Hoodoo is not a traditional African religion. It is not Voodoo/Voudon, Ifa, Palo, Quimbanda, Santeria, or any of the many other African Diasporic or African Traditional Religions.

Hoodoo is not associated with any particular dogma or set of religious beliefs.

Hoodoo is not “black magic,” in the sense of invoking evil or malevolent energies. Its impact is shaped by the practitioner and their own personal motivations and needs.

Hoodoo is not Pow Wow or Appalachian Granny Magic, which are based primarily on European folk magic, faith healing, and superstitions.

Hoodoo is not a Wiccan or New Age practice; it is not bound to beliefs in “karma” or "the Law of Three."

To practice Hoodoo, one must always remember where it comes from: this is the magic of oppressed and enslaved people who endured daily unrelenting racism and suffering, but who refused to surrender their identity and power. It has a fundamental place in this country today, and we must always honor where it comes from and why it exists.

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As part of our combined commitment to help support and uplift the Black community, Doc Grey Conjure and The Raven's Wing will be donating a portion of every sale of Doc Grey Conjure Oils to Southerners on New Ground, a Black-led organization that builds community and works for access for LGBTQ+ people of color across the Southern United States.