Tarot Fellow
Voodoo & Hoodoo — Jim Haskins Book on African American Folk Magic Traditions
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$16.95 - Regular price
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$16.95
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Voodoo and Hoodoo by Jim Haskins — a foundational ethnographic and cultural study of African American folk magic traditions, tracing the West African spiritual roots of Voodoo and the distinctly American practice of Hoodoo rootwork. Haskins documents conjure practices, ritual materials, and the cultural history that shaped these traditions through slavery, Reconstruction, and into the 20th century. An essential scholarly and cultural text for practitioners who wish to understand the historical and cultural context of these traditions with seriousness and respect.
Description:Quick Specs
- Size/Quantity: 226 pages, paperback
- Type: Reference Book
- Best For: Learning Hoodoo and Voodoo history, understanding African American folk magic traditions, building a foundational reference library, contextualizing conjure and root work
A Foundational Text on African American Folk Magic Traditions
I carry this title because it does something rare: it treats Voodoo and Hoodoo with the same scholarly seriousness that any living cultural tradition deserves. Jim Haskins was a prolific African American author and University of Florida English professor who published more than 100 books on Black history and culture during his lifetime. This one, first published in 1978, became a touchstone for anyone trying to understand these traditions honestly. It's drawn from interviews with actual practitioners, which means what you're reading reflects real community knowledge, not outside speculation.
The book opens by tracing Voodoo to its origins in West African spiritual systems, following the tradition through the transatlantic slave trade and into Haiti, Louisiana, and broader North America. Hoodoo is framed for what it actually is: a distinct African American folk magic practice rooted in survival, healing, and resistance, shaped over generations by West African, Native American, and European contact. Haskins doesn't conflate the two, and that distinction matters if you're going to work with either tradition seriously. You'll find the historical and cultural framing in the first half of the book, and a substantial catalogue of conjures, gris-gris formulas, and mojo hand recipes in the second. If you want to understand the logic behind a working before you attempt it, that foundation is right here. Browse my Voodoo, Hoodoo, and Santeria books for related titles, or explore the full Voodoo and Hoodoo collection for supplies that pair with this text.
At 226 pages, it's a compact and readable reference, not an academic treatise. Reviewers consistently call it the best starting point for anyone entering this field, and I'd agree. The spell sections are documented as cultural record, presented the way a careful researcher presents living tradition: with context, respect, and enough detail to be genuinely useful. If you're building a serious Hoodoo library, this belongs in it early.
How to Use This Book
A practical approach to getting the most from this reference text.
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Start with the History
Read Part One first, which traces Voodoo from its West African roots through the Atlantic slave trade and into the Americas. Understanding this origin story grounds everything that follows and keeps you from mistaking folk practice for superstition.
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Study the Spell Repertoire
Work through the spell and conjure sections slowly, noting the logic behind each working. Haskins documents what practitioners actually used, from gris-gris bags to mojo hands, giving you a grounded vocabulary for your own study or practice.
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Cross-Reference with Practice
Use this book alongside living sources, such as experienced practitioners or community elders. Haskins built this text from firsthand interviews, so treat it as a map rather than the final word. Follow up on any tradition that speaks to you.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I stock this book because Haskins' sourcing method is exactly what I look for: practitioner interviews, named traditions, and a clear separation between historical record and speculation. The publisher, Original Publications, has a long history in the folk magic reference space and this title has remained in print across multiple editions since 1978 for good reason. One thing to note: the book was written in the late 1970s, so some of its framing reflects the language of that era. The core content, the history, the documented workings, the cultural analysis, holds up well. Approach it as a foundational primary reference and supplement it with more contemporary voices as your study deepens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Haskins covers both Voodoo, rooted in Haitian and Louisiana Creole spiritual practice, and Hoodoo, the African American folk magic tradition blending West African, Native American, and European influences. Both are distinct systems.
Yes. Haskins writes for a general audience and does not assume prior knowledge. The historical sections build context before introducing spell work, making it a solid starting point for anyone new to either Voodoo or Hoodoo study.
It does. A good portion documents real spells, conjures, gris-gris formulas, and mojo hand recipes drawn from practitioner interviews. These are presented as cultural record, not as instructions divorced from their traditional context.
Jim Haskins (1941 to 2005) was a prolific African American author and English professor who wrote more than 100 books on Black history, culture, and biography. This title, first published in 1978, is one of his most enduring adult reference works.
