In the early 20th century, Father George Simms was a charismatic preacher in New Orleans. Known both for his powerful sermons and for his curses, Father Simms was a conjure man.
He could curse anyone and make it stick, but he could also remove curses. This earned him the nickname “The Frizzly Rooster.” Frizzled chickens had feathers that grew backwards; many people kept them because these chickens were believed to have the power to scratch up any hexes in their yard.
A woman once approached Father Simms after one of his sermons. He eventually became her spiritual mentor. For weeks, he had her perform rituals and other tasks, telling her to have faith. Once she was initiated, Father Simms taught her hoodoo’s deeper meanings. He gave her a new name: , “The Boss of Candles.” But we’ve always known her by her birth name.
Anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston was one of Father Simms’ most famous students. She wrote about him in her influential book on folk culture, “Mules and Men.” Hurston’s depth of documentation reminds us of the importance of Black archival practices, especially for Afro-Diasporic spiritualities and narratives that anti-Black historians want to erase.
Spiritualists like Father Simms and Hurston served as faith leaders and cultural preservers, dedicating themselves to their calling and passing on their teachings. How are we preserving our ancestors’ wisdom? Preservation keeps our ancestors alive while adding to the liberation blueprint we’re passing down to future generations.