The Hoodoo Murder of Sumter County, South Carolina

A young enslaved woman named Mary became mysteriously ill on South Carolina's Cherry Vale Plantation. As her condition worsened, rumors spread from plantation to plantation that she had been "conjured."Some believed she had been poisoned by a romantic rival. Others claimed a Hoodoo doctor had been called to save her. A Philadelphia-trained physician was brought in as well. Neither could prevent what happened next.In this documentary, we travel back to Sumter County, South Carolina to investigate one of the most fascinating Hoodoo mysteries I have ever encountered. Through historical records, plantation history, African American funeral customs, Hoodoo beliefs, and the memoirs of Reverend Irving E. Lowery, we explore the life, death, and legacy of a woman whose story has survived for more than a century and a half.But this is more than a story about death.It is a story about community, memory, African spiritual traditions, and the beliefs that endured through slavery and beyond.🎙️ Topics Covered:• Hoodoo & Conjure in South Carolina• Cherry Vale Plantation & the Frierson Family• African American Funeral Traditions• The Mystery of Mary & Epsey• Root Doctors & Folk Healing• Sumter County History• African Spiritual Retentions During Slavery#Hoodoo #Rootwork #Conjure #AfricanAmericanHistory #BlackHistory #SouthCarolina #HoodooAndChill #PlantationHistory #Folklore #SpiritualHistory