Reddit reviews Working Conjure: A Guide to Hoodoo Folk Magic

Hoodoo is a folk practice, not a closed tradition. It has its roots in West African native religion, and has been highly influenced by other cultures such as the Germans, Jews, and indigenous Americans. It is truly a uniquely American conglomeration, and white folks have always practiced hoodoo. Dr. Buzzard, one of the most famous rootworkers, was in fact white.

I'm going to say this and probably step on toes for a lot of reasons, but if you are interested in learning more about conjure I feel these are things you should know going ahead. A lot of the criticism I see towards white people practicing hoodoo is that many of them are Wiccan, or eclectic Wiccan, who have little to no issue in taking things (dare I say appropriating them?) from all kinds of traditions with no regard to their cultural context or background. Traditional hoodoo is very Christian, and there are also plenty of people that ignore that fact. On the other hand, as someone who has been practicing hoodoo for many years, I've also seen an uptick (at least online) of new POC hoodoo practitioners who are finding their roots, and many also feel the need to bash white practitioners. There is more than one hoodoo online space I've had to leave because it's become less about the work and more about how much white people suck.

If you are truly interested I encourage you to keep exploring and be respectful. You can check out Lucky Mojo, the website of which contains a virtual book of information, and the books Working Conjure and Conjure In African American Society. The second is not so much about workings as it is about the history, which is important to know. Keep in mind, there is also not one way to practice hoodoo, as a folk practice it has quite the variety. New Orleans Voodoo / Hoodoo is its own animal, Texas Hoodoo has their own ways of doing things, and the list goes on.

Good luck and godspeed.