Moni and Kat review:The Conjuring of America by Lindsey Stewart

13 snips

Oct 15, 2025

Moni and Kat delve into the magical world of Black women's spiritual traditions and their profound impact on America's culture. They discuss the historical roots of conjure, from granny midwives to contemporary representations in Beyoncé’s art. The hosts explore mermaid lore and its significance, connecting the past with modern storytelling. They also emphasize the importance of honoring ancestors and everyday rituals in conjuring resilience. Through rich narratives, they celebrate Black joy and cultural reclamation in the face of adversity.

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INSIGHT

Conjure As Cultural Throughline

Lindsey Stewart frames conjure as more than superstition and as a thread of survival, healing, and creativity across 400 years of Black women’s lives.
Moni and Kat say the book clarifies feelings they couldn’t name and connects cultural practices to deep historical roots.

INSIGHT

Spiritual Knowledge Shifted Power

Moni and Kat highlight how enslaved people's spiritual knowledge made slaveholders fearful and altered power dynamics at deathbeds and beyond.
They observe that the possibility of ancestor-based retaliation made white masters uneasy and sometimes afraid at the end of life.

ANECDOTE

Childhood Mermaids And Representation

Kat and Moni share childhood mermaid memories and note Black mermaid toys provided early representation and joy.
They connect those memories to Stewart's chapter showing mermaid lore rooted in African deities and diasporic traditions.

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In this episode, Moni and Kat dive into The Conjuring of America: Mojos, Mermaids, Medicine, and 400 Years of Black Women’s Magic by philosopher and author Lindsey Stewart. The conversation explores how Black women’s spiritual traditions rooted in healing, intuition, and resistance, have shaped the nation’s cultural and moral fabric. From the granny midwives who guided generations of births with wisdom and ancestral power to the mermaids who symbolize freedom, survival, and transformation.They also explore how conjure lives on today in Beyoncé’s music and visual art, where Oshun’s energy, water rituals, and Southern Black mysticism flow through albums like Lemonade and Black Is King; in Miss Tina Knowles’ storytelling and cultural preservation, which honors the strength of Black matriarchs; and even in the complex portrayals of women in films like Sinners and iconic characters like Annie, who embody both struggle and sacred resilience. Through these stories, Moni and Kat celebrate the spiritual practices that have always sustained Black women and all the ways we conjure beauty, power, and possibility from within. Cheers!
*Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only.

Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you!
Moni: To the Trey Reed and his family. https://www.mississippifreepress.org/trey-reeds-family-calls-for-an-independent-autopsy-after-he-was-found-hanging-in-a-tree/?utm
https://www.nytimes.com/2025//trey-reed-hanging-mississippi.html
Kat: To Mychal the Librarian
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mychal_Threets

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