During his heyday Black Herman attracted thousands of followers to his townhouse where he dispensed hoodoo remedies and protection spells. He also hosted regular weekly gatherings of Harlem artists and writers.
SIGNS, BELIEF AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE AUSTIN SÉANCE
We cannot know what lurks behind the signs of our world, not for certain. We can only know the signs themselves. And so when we interpret signs, we make a leap of faith.
SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR EXPLORES THE FEMALE MYSTIC
In Simone de Beauvoir’s seminal The Second Sex, de Beauvoir explores the figure of the “mystic.” Her analysis also illuminates why the spiritualist medium often takes feminine form.