Description
Widely recognized for its musical influence, Beale Street was once also once a hub for Hoodoo culture. Many blues icons, such as Big Memphis Ma Rainey and Sonny Boy Williamson, dabbled within the mysterious tradition. Its popularity in some African American communities all the way through the past two centuries fueled racial tension–practitioners faced social stigma and blame for anything from natural disasters to violent crimes. Alternatively, necessity infrequently outweighed prejudice, or even the ones with the perfect social status turned to Hoodoo for prosperity, love or retribution. Writer Tony Kail traces this colorful Memphis heritage, from the arrival of Africans in Shelby County to the growth of conjure culture in juke joints and Spiritual Churches.