African American Spirituality

Throughout history, spirituality has consistently been used to further the control one has over their circumstances. Whether it be attempting to banish demons thought to cause disease or praying for victory in times of war, the sociological trend of humans relying on spirituality when attempting to overcome their struggles is ubiquitous. This especially held true for both Native Americans (natives) and enslaved African Americans, as an immense reliance on plants intersected with spirituality at the foundation of their healing methods and perspectives on health. Furthermore, both of these groups heavily relied on their traditional healing methods as a means of resisting the dehumanization which arose from their oppression; natives used them
Natives, while gathering plants and preparing or administering cures, “performed special rituals such as smoking and offering prayers” to show respect for the supernatural power they believed to be present in plants. They even viewed their own healers as mystical, as it was believed that they possessed a spiritual “special gift of power” which gave them the unique ability to effectively perform healing rituals.3 Likewise, African American healers in slave communities viewed all aspects of health as interweaving with spirituality. Black healers--for example--built their reputation by proclaiming that they held a “reliance on God” when doctoring others and believed conjuring was a potential cause of disease or affliction which had to be fought with the assistance of “conjure doctors,” who combated these afflictions with similar mysticism.4 Therefore, it can be concluded that for both of these groups, spirituality played a significant role in the ways they perceived and addressed healing and
Because their healing placed an emphasis on the relationships between an individual and their “broadly defined community of living kin and neighbors, ancestors, and spirits” when evaluating his or her health, it assured slaves that they were part of a sacred network of individuals.8 This narrative directly contrasted with the disparaging treatment that they received from whites, as it asserted a deeper meaning to the individual’s life experiences. In turn, they were assured of their humanity by their healing practices, despite slavery adamantly denying it to them.
Ultimately, Native Americans and African American slaves both saw the herbal and spiritual aspects of healing to be thoroughly intertwined with one another. Additionally, their traditional healing practices were an essential tool for combatting the dehumanization which accompanied the genocide and objectification faced by Native and African Americans, respectfully. Therefore, their healing practices were inherently political, as they were an essential tool for challenging the authority whites held over their