The Thing About Witch Hunts

What did the scholars who studied witchcraft most seriously actually believe? And why did their conclusions so often cut against prosecution? Professor Darren Oldridge of the University of Worcester joins Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack to examine the intellectual world that produced English demonology and shaped witch trials on both sides of the Atlantic. In this episode: Why the devil mattered far more than witches to learned English Protestants The demonological writers whose work traveled directly to colonial New England What Reginald Scott and George Gifford argued, and why it surprised their contemporaries The specific figure whose writing brought popular and learned ideas into dangerous alignment Why the demonic pact was central to prosecution and nearly impossible to prove What the Massachusetts law code of the 1640s reveals about biblical influence on colonial legal thinking How Increase Mather's skepticism at Salem connected to a century of English Protestant thought Why the "good witch" was considered more dangerous than the harmful one Learn more at endwitchhunts.org and aboutwitchhunts.com. #WitchTrials #SalemWitchTrials #Demonology #WitchHunts #DevilHistory #WitchcraftHistory #EnglishHistory #HistoryPodcast #EarlyModernHistory #WitchcraftPodcast #EndWitchHunts #ProtestantHistory #ColonialHistory #SalemHistory Links Professor Darren Oldridge https://www.worcester.ac.uk/about/profiles/professor-darren-oldridge Buy Books by Darren Oldridge https://bookshop.org/lists/guests-of-the-thing-about-witch-hunts-podcast Learn more at endwitchhunts.org and aboutwitchhunts.com Sign the Boston Exoneration Petition change.org/witchtrials We're on Youtube too! www.youtube.com/@aboutwitchhunts

The Conjuring franchise named a real Salem witch trial victim as the origin of a Satanic lineage. Mary Towne Easty was executed in 1692. She did not curse anyone. She did not sacrifice a baby. And she has millions of living descendants, including your hosts. Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack are direct descendants of Mary Towne Easty. In this episode they break down exactly what The Conjuring, Annabelle, and the Conjuring Universe get wrong about real history, real people, and real court records, and what those people actually did and said. The Warrens built a career on these stories. James Wan built a franchise. But behind Bathsheba Sherman, behind the hanging scene, behind the demonic lineage that launched nine films and over two billion dollars in box office, are three real women whose names deserve to be known for who they actually were. Who was Bathsheba Sherman? Her grave has been vandalized because of this film. Who was Susan Richardson Arnold? The real documented death behind the hanging scene. Who was Mary Towne Easty? A grandmother and the author of one of the most powerful legal petitions in American history. Written from prison. Written for others. Not for herself. Also in this episode: the Annabelle doll is headed to Salem. A comedian now manages the Warren artifacts. The Conjuring is a great horror film. These are the real people underneath it. Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack host The Thing About Witch Hunts, a podcast from End Witch Hunts nonprofit. New episodes every week. See the real Mary Easty Petition Learn more at endwitchhunts.org and aboutwitchhunts.com Sign the Boston Exoneration Petition #TheConjuring #Annabelle #EdAndLorraineWarren #SalemWitchTrials #MaryEasty #BathshebaSherman #ConjuringUniverse #horrorpodcast #paranormal #truestory #1692 #witchhunts #historypodcast #haunted

What can a five-foot-long magic scroll tell us about early modern fears, beliefs, and the people who sought protection through cunning folk? Sara Lent Frier, Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, joins Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack to explore her exhibition "Cunning Folk: Witchcraft, Magic, and Occult Knowledge." Sara walks us through this collection show, which draws from both the Cantor Arts Center and Stanford's Green Library to present rare artifacts from the early modern period, roughly 1500 to 1750. The exhibit also features contemporary California artists whose work responds directly to that history, creating a conversation across centuries. In this episode: What cunning folk were and the roles they played in early modern communities How the Cantor Arts Center brought together artifacts and contemporary art in a single exhibition The stories behind objects including magic scrolls and a miniature bureau connected to the Salem witch trials What Stanford's collections reveal about the intersection of magic, medicine, and knowledge in early modern Europe How contemporary artists are engaging with this history today Whether you are a historian, an art lover, or someone drawn to the deeper history of witchcraft accusations and occult belief, this conversation offers a rare look at objects that survived centuries and the scholars keeping their stories alive. The Thing About Witch Hunts is hosted by Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack. Learn more at endwitchhunts.org and aboutwitchhunts.com. Links View Cunning Folk Exhibit Cantor Arts Center 🎥 Watch more on YouTube: youtube.com/@aboutwitchhunts 🌐 Learn more about our work on historical and contemporary witchcraft accusations at endwitchhunts.org

Oxford historian Professor John Blair explores vampire beliefs, predatory corpses, and the deep connections between witchcraft and folklore in medieval and early modern Europe — and colonial New England. What do vampires, witch trials, and shroud-chewing corpses have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of The Thing About Witch Hunts, hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack sit down with Professor John Blair, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History and Archaeology at the University of Oxford and Fellow of The Queen's College, Oxford. Professor Blair is the author of the book Killing the Dead: Corpses, Vampires, and the Unquiet Dead in Medieval and Early Modern Europe — a landmark study of how premodern communities understood the body, fear, and the threat of the dangerous dead. This conversation goes deep into the history of vampire beliefs and folklore, including: The origins of the word "vampire" and the many names given to predatory corpses across cultures Corpse execution practices in medieval and early modern Europe Sleep paralysis and its role in shaping beliefs about the unquiet dead The Malleus Maleficarum and its connections to vampire and witchcraft lore Shroud-chewing, witch cakes, and vampire cakes — and what these practices reveal about community fear Striking parallels between vampire beliefs and witchcraft accusations in colonial New England, including the Salem Witch Trials Whether you're interested in medieval folklore, the history of witchcraft, vampire mythology, early modern European history, or the Salem trials, this episode offers essential historical context for understanding how fear, the body, and the supernatural intersected in the premodern world. 📖 Pick up Killing the Dead at bookshop.org/shop/endwitchhunts https://bookshop.org/a/90227/9780691224794 🎥 Watch more on YouTube: youtube.com/@aboutwitchhunts 🌐 Learn more about our work on historical and contemporary witchcraft accusations at endwitchhunts.org If this episode was valuable to you, please leave a review and share it with someone who loves history, folklore, or the early modern world. It helps others find the show and keeps this important work going. HASHTAGS: #VampireHistory #VampireFolklore #MedievalHistory #WitchcraftHistory #TheDangerousDead #SalemWitchTrials #EarlyModernEurope #Folklore #UnquietDead #MalleusM aleficarum #SleepParalysis #HistoryPodcast #WitchHunts #OxfordHistory #TheThingAboutWitchHunts #KillingTheDead #ProfJohnBlair #ColonialNewEngland #HistoricalFolklore #WitchTrials

Check out Salem Witch Trials Daily, our new podcast that follows the 1692 Salem Witch Trials in real time, day by day, court date by court date, through the documented record. In Salem, Massachusetts, 19 people were executed, one man was pressed to death for refusing trial, and more than a hundred others were accused and imprisoned, leaving a lasting mark on American history. Building on the extraordinary listener response to this series when it launched within The Thing About Salem, the show now has its own dedicated feed, available wherever you get podcasts. Each micro-episode is tied to the actual calendar of 1692 and draws directly from primary sources like court documents, examination transcripts, petitions, letters, and contemporary accounts, alongside established scholarship and our own research. We also provide weekly companion blog posts and downloadable worksheets on aboutsalem.com for deeper, self-paced learning. ⁠Salem Witch Trials Daily – The Thing About Salem Podcast

In 1629, 27 men, women, and a 15-year-old child were executed in Peebles, Scotland — and their ashes cast into the River Tweed. For centuries, their names were largely forgotten. Now, a community theater production called Rope and Flame is bringing their stories back to life, just steps from the river where they were lost. Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack sit down with the creative team behind this remarkable project: director and co-writer Clare Prenton, playwright and co-writer Anita John, actor Scott Noble, and historian Mary Craig, whose book Borders Witch Hunt laid the foundation for the script. This conversation will take you into the Scottish Borders, into the streets and kirk of a 17th-century market town under pressure from famine, religious upheaval, and the reach of Edinburgh's legal machinery. Listeners will come away with a richer understanding of how witchcraft accusations spread through a community, why both accusers and accused deserve to be understood as full human beings, and what a commemorative plaque on Tweed Green sparked in a modern Scottish town. You'll also hear how three women writers intentionally pushed back against the framing of female fear and coercion as irrational, how a 15-year-old girl was pressured into naming names, and why one local historian argues that boots on the ground matter more than books when it comes to understanding the past. From generational trauma to the parallels between 17th-century gossip and why the mechanics of a whisper spreading through a 17th-century Scottish market town are not as distant from our own moment as we might like to think. this episode connects the Scottish witch trials to questions that are urgently alive right now. In This Episode The history of the 1629 Peebles witch trials and what made the Scottish Borders a hotbed of witchcraft prosecutions How the 2022 memorial on Tweed Green sparked a community theater production The role of Calvinism, political turmoil under Charles I, and economic hardship in fueling accusations Why Rope and Flame portrays accusers as complex, frightened human beings rather than simple villains The story of Isabel Haddock, the 15-year-old accused whose testimony changed everything How community theater is doing what history books alone cannot If this episode moved you, share it. These stories survive because people carry them forward. Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack are descendants of Salem witch trial victims who helped build End Witch Hunts nonprofit to educate about witch hunts past and present, advocate for the accused, and support the communities doing that work. Subscribe to The Thing About Witch Hunts wherever you listen, and visit endwitchhunts.org to learn more and donate. Links Play Podcast Episode: A History of Scottish Witches with Mary W. Craig Play Podcast Episode: Scottish Witch Trials with Mary W. Craig Duns Play Fest East Gate Arts Theatre Buy Books Mentioned in this Episode Sign the Petition to Exonerate the Boston 8 The History of Witch Trial Exonerations in Massachusetts About the MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Purchase a MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Memorial Pin

What's in This Episode Podcasthon is a global event where thousands of podcasters use their platforms to raise money for a cause they believe in. This year, The Thing About Witch Hunts is participating to support End Witch Hunts, the only US nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about witchcraft accusation violence past and present. If this episode moves you, donate at endwitchhunts.org/donate. Every contribution goes directly to the work. The Salem Witch Trials ended in 1693. We know what went wrong. And yet the pattern keeps showing up, different century, different accusation, same structure. This episode names that structure. Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack step back from individual cases to look at what moral panics are actually made of: how they get built, who builds them, who gets targeted, and why the fear feels so real and so righteous from the inside. The history moves from colonial Massachusetts through the Red Scares, McCarthyism, and the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and 1990s, connecting to witchcraft accusation violence happening in communities around the world right now. What You'll Learn Why the same panic keeps working across centuries. How institutions transform fear into prosecution. Who gets chosen as the target, and why that choice is never random. What genuine fear has to do with other agendas operating underneath it. And perhaps most importantly: what the people who actually disrupted witch hunts throughout history had in common. The dissenters are always in the record. This episode finds them. Why It Matters Every person who can recognize a moral panic in progress becomes a potential dissenter. That is not a small thing. Support End Witch Hunts at endwitchhunts.org/donate. Keywords: moral panic, witch hunts, Salem witch trials, Satanic Panic, McCarthyism, Red Scare, witchcraft accusation violence, folk devils, spectral evidence, historical exoneration, End Witch Hunts, Podcasthon 2026, Dr. Leo Igwe, Maimunat Mohammed, Thomas Brattle, Cotton Mather, Massachusetts Bill H.5154 Links Buy the Book: Folk Devils and Moral Panics by Stanley Cohen Buy the Book: The Enemy Within, A Short History of Witch Hunting⁠ Listen to Podcasthon: When Children are Accused of Witchcraft Listen to the Episode:Fearing the Devil: A Cultural History of America’s Satanic Panic with Scott Culpepper Article by Dr. Leo Igwe Give to Gain: Justice for Women Accused of Witchcraft in Africa Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) End Witch Hunts UN Human Rights Council Resolution 47/8

In honor of International Women's Day 2026, End Witch Hunts hosted a powerful panel discussion bringing together advocates, legal experts, journalists, and survivors to raise awareness about witchcraft accusations targeting women in Nigeria and across Africa. This conversation is part of the global "Give to Gain" initiative — the theme of International Women's Day 2026 — calling on individuals, organizations, and governments to give resources, empathy, legal support, and voice so that women accused of witchcraft can gain justice, safety, and dignity. Witchcraft accusations disproportionately target women, especially those who are poor, widowed, elderly, or otherwise vulnerable. Accusation can mean social ostracism, physical violence, displacement, imprisonment, and even death. Our panelists shared firsthand experience, legal expertise, and on-the-ground advocacy work illuminating what is happening in Nigeria today and what all of us can do about it. How witchcraft accusations specifically harm women and compound existing inequality The psychological toll of accusation, including self-doubt and mental health impacts Legal protections that exist in Nigeria and why they are not being used How women can seek justice through courts, NGOs, and community channels even without financial resources The role of patriarchy, poverty, and community silence in perpetuating accusation Why empowerment and financial independence are protective factors How diaspora communities outside Nigeria are funding witchcraft accusations back home What governments, international organizations, media, and individuals can give to create real change The critical importance of reaching rural communities in local languages Dr. Leo Igwe is the director of Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW), an initiative working to end witch hunts in Africa by 2030, and the Critical Thinking Social Empowerment Foundation. A board member of Humanist International and the Humanist Association of Nigeria, Dr. Igwe earned his doctoral degree from the University of Bayreuth, Germany, where he wrote his thesis on witchcraft accusations. Chief Magistrate Safiya Musa Salihu is a Chief Magistrate in Bauchi State, Nigeria, and Vice Chairman of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Bauchi branch. She has trained paralegals across multiple communities and works fearlessly to ensure that accused women have access to justice. Hauwa Mundi is a broadcast journalist with Radio Nigeria — the largest radio network in Africa with over 40 million listeners — a social media influencer, and a member of Advocacy for Alleged Witches. She uses her platform to challenge belief in witchcraft and amplify the stories of the accused. Maimunat Mohammed is an Information Officer at a university in Minna and representative of the Niger State Branch of Advocacy for Alleged Witches. She shared her own experience of being accused alongside her mother following her father's death, and her years of advocating for her family in the face of community hostility. Dr. Barrister is the National President of the Association of Women against Gender-Based Violence and founder of the ADI Foundation in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, working for justice and security for vulnerable persons. Article by Dr. Leo Igwe Give to Gain: Justice for Women Accused of Witchcraft in Africa Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) End Witch Hunts International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Association of Women against Gender-Based Violence Radio Nigeria UN Human Rights Council Resolution 47/8

What does American literature reveal about how a society imagines justice, belonging, and the power of women? Samaine Lockwood, Associate Professor of English at George Mason University and the 2026 Fenwick Fellow, has spent years tracing that question through one of the most enduring stories in American culture: the Salem witch trials. Her fellowship project, Tituba Indian: The History of an American Cultural Figure follows Tituba Indian from the historical record of 1692 through two centuries of novels, plays, and reimaginings to ask what her story has been made to carry and why. In This Episode How the Salem witch trials became one of the most reimagined episodes in American literary history Why Tituba Indian sits at the center of debates about race, gender, and civic belonging across two centuries of American culture How culture reuses the past How Ann Petry's Tituba of Salem Village broke from literary tradition decades before most readers noticed Why Arthur Miller's The Crucible remains complicated and how teachers are beginning to challenge it in the classroom The real significance of the witch as a figure in literature, from colonial revival to contemporary young adult fiction Where to find the vast archive of Salem witch trial literature that predates copyright, freely available online About Samaine Lockwood Samaine Lockwood is an Associate Professor of English at George Mason University, specializing in 19th century American literature and gender and sexuality studies. She is the 2026 Fenwick Fellow, a research fellowship funded by the George Mason Fenwick Library supporting her book in progress, Tituba Indian and the History of an American Cultural Figure. Her previous book, Archives of Desire: the Queer Historical Work of New England Regionalism, was published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2015. Authors and Works Mentioned in This Episode Ann Petry: Tituba of Salem Village; The Narrows; Biography of Harriet Tubman. First black woman to write a bestselling novel in the United States. Maryse Conde: I, Tituba: Black Witch of Salem Henry William Herbert: The Fair Puritan (written 1850s, published 1870s) Elizabeth Gaskell: Lois the Witch Charlotte Perkins Gilman (with Grace Ellery Channing): Untitled Salem play, 1890, held at the Schlesinger Library, Harvard Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins: Fiction writer, first Black woman editor of a magazine, key figure in the Boston African American community at the turn of the 20th century Arthur Miller: The Crucible Marian Starkey: The Devil in Massachusetts Matilda Joslyn Gage: Woman, Church, and State (1890s) Saidiya Hartman: Venus in Two Acts Gretchen Adams: The Specter of Salem Henry James: The Turn of the Screw and Other Ghost Stories Kimberly Bellflower: John Proctor is the Villain (Broadway, 2024) Samaine Lockwood: Archives of Desire: the Queer Historical Work of New England Regionalism Keith Clark: The Radical Fiction of Ann Petry Where to Find These Works Most works published before 1923 are in the public domain and freely available through Open Library and Internet Archive. For titles still in print, support this podcast and End Witch Hunts by purchasing through our Bookshop.org storefront: bookshop.org/shop/endwitchhunts Every purchase (of any title) through Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores and helps fund the work of End Witch Hunts when you purchase through our affiliate link. Links Publications by Samaine Lockwood University Libraries has named Samaine Lockwood, associate professor of English, the 2026 Fenwick Fellow Buy Books Mentioned in Today's Episode Sign the Petition to Exonerate the Boston 8 The History of Witch Trial Exonerations in Massachusetts About the MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Purchase a MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Memorial Pin

Most people meet Tituba through Arthur Miller. Nicole Brooks met her differently. The Canadian artist, producer, composer, and performer spent over a decade creating Obeah Opera, a fully sung a cappella theatrical work that centers Tituba and the other women of Salem as healers, wise women, and people who loved and were loved. In this conversation Nicole opens up about the research, the music, the controversy, and the story she believes America is ready to hear. What You Will Learn Who Tituba was beyond The Crucible Why Nicole positions every woman in the story as a healer How the word Obeah appears in Puritan records and what that tells us The love story at the heart of Obeah Opera How the girls who made accusations were themselves silenced and powerless What Tituba's name means in Yoruba Why an all-female cast changes how the story lands How music makes the heaviest history bearable Guest Nicole Brooks, creator of Obeah Opera Resources and Links Sign the Petition to Exonerate the Boston 8 The History of Witch Trial Exonerations in Massachusetts About the MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Purchase a MA Witch Hunt Justice Project Memorial Pin

About This Episode What if Boston's colonial past held witch trial stories just as gripping as Salem's but almost entirely overlooked? This week, Sarah and Josh sit down with D. Brenton Simons, President Emeritus and former CEO of American Ancestors (New England Historic Genealogical Society), to uncover the witches, criminals, and scandal-makers that Boston's official history left out. D. Brenton Simons spent 18 years leading American Ancestors, one of the world's foremost genealogical organizations with over 500,000 members in 139 countries. He is the author of Witches, Rakes, and Rogues, a collection of true Boston stories spanning 1630 to 1741, and was honored by King Charles III for his contributions to Anglo-American history. Boston had a witchcraft period spanning over a century, and the stories from it look nothing like what popular culture has taught us. Brenton walks us through cases that defy every stereotype, including a wealthy, well-connected woman whose "disagreeable" personality made her a target after her husband's death, an Irish Catholic servant whose foreign language and customs terrified a Puritan community, and women whose only real crime was practicing folk medicine and refusing to be pushed around. The research behind this book took five years and required digging through court records, personal diaries, and archives. The result is a portrait of real people navigating a world where the devil felt as immediate and dangerous as a neighbor's grudge. The woman who appears as a background character in The Scarlet Letter and the real, devastating story behind her name How the Goodwin children's afflictions during the Goody Glover case reveal something very human about fear and attention The connection between Mercy Short's post-traumatic experiences and the Salem trials Why the discovery of a black cat may have saved Boston from a second wave of witch hunting What happened to accusations that never became trials, and why those stories matter just as much For descendants of Boston and Connecticut witch trial victims, this episode is essential listening. Brenton discusses his research connecting Mary Hale, Winifred Benham Sr., and the Benham family line across generations and colonies. If you have colonial New England ancestry, you may have more connections to these stories than you realize. American Ancestors / New England Historic Genealogical Society American Ancestors on YouTube Witches, Rakes, and Rogues by D. Brenton Simons End Witch Hunts The Thing About Witch Hunts is produced by End Witch Hunts, the only U.S. nonprofit dedicated to witchcraft accusation awareness. Find us wherever you listen to podcasts and on YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with anyone who loves colonial history, genealogy, or untold American stories.

What happens when spiritual beliefs are used to justify harm against children in the United States? In this episode, Josh Hutchinson, Sarah Jack, and guest host Mary Bingham explore Spiritual and Ritual Abuse, known as SARA, and why it remains a largely unrecognized crisis in American communities. The team examines how belief-driven violence crosses every demographic and faith background, discusses the landmark case of 3-year-old Arely Procter, and raises critical questions about accountability when religious freedom is invoked as a legal defense. What Spiritual and Ritual Abuse (SARA) is and how international bodies define it How SARA manifests in the United States across faiths, communities, and demographics Why cases of belief-driven child abuse often go unrecognized or are prosecuted without acknowledging the spiritual motivations behind them How familiar cases like Elizabeth Smart and Ruby Franke fall under the SARA umbrella The story of Arely Procter and the ongoing legal proceedings in Santa Clara County, California What the Racial Justice Act of 2020 is and how it is being used in Arely's case Why the United States lacks a centralized system for monitoring spiritual abuse-and what End Witch Hunts is doing about it What research tells us about the prevalence of supernatural beliefs in America Mary Bingham is a director of End Witch Hunts and a researcher focused on spiritual and ritual abuse cases spanning historical witch trials through present-day prosecutions. Her case research and victim profiles are available on the Sarah Wildes 1692 YouTube channel, including a dedicated playlist for World Day Against Witch Hunts 2025. SARA (Spiritual and Ritual Abuse): Abuse where an offender uses spiritual, superstitious, or traditional beliefs to justify harming others, or uses a victim's own beliefs to manipulate and control them. Harmful Traditional Practices: The United Nations' terminology for practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, reported in at least 60 nations. Racial Justice Act of 2020 (California): Legislation ensuring that racial, ethnic, or national origin does not influence criminal investigations intentionally or unintentionally. National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) National Deaf Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 855-812-1001 or text START to 88788. Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: Call or text 800-422-4453. If you are experiencing spiritual or ritual abuse in the home, trained advocates are available around the clock. Hosts: Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack Guest Host: Mary Bingham Produced by: End Witch Hunts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization New episodes weekly. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. The Thing About Witch Hunts has been heard in 100+ countries worldwide. Links End Witch Hunts Project: End Spiritual and Ritual Abuse SARA Cases YouTube Playlist National Domestic Violence Hotline Podcast Episode: Jordan Alexander Discusses Spiritual and Ritual Abuse Podcast Episode: Witchcraft Beliefs Around the World with Boris Gershman Article by Mary Bingham: Witch Hunting from Salem to San Jose: Dorothy Good and Arely Proctor Article by Mary Bingham: The Psychology Behind Witchcraft Accusations Law & Crime Network YouTube Video on Arely Proctor Racial Justice Act Defense https://youtu.be/4DJnPgnRVmY?si=8zSMLDGpT0hLw-YL

Wales has something most countries don't: complete, intact court records from every witch trial held in the Court of Great Sessions. Author Mari Ellis Dunning used these archives to write Witch, a historical novel set in 16th century Wales. About the novel: Witch follows Doli, a Welsh young woman desperate to have a baby who seeks help from a local soothsayer. The story explores what happens when accusations arise in a community caught between old Welsh traditions and new English Protestant law. The historical context: Five witch trials in Wales resulted in death sentences. The records show fascinating details, including Gwen ferch Ellis's case where "ignoramus" (case dismissed) was physically crossed out before her conviction. Mari discusses the tension between licensed and unlicensed midwives, how the Royal College of Physicians excluded women from medicine, and why lay healers were often more effective than the male physicians who replaced them. Class boundaries determined which accusations progressed to trial. The conversation explores: How Mari balanced creating relatable, nuanced characters while staying true to the limited agency women actually had in the 16th century Why Wales's cultural identity and the conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism shaped different attitudes toward folk practices The connection between historical witch trials and modern medical misogyny, political rhetoric weaponizing "witch," and systemic violence against women Links Buy the book: Witsh by Mari Ellis Dunning Guest Article: Gwen ferch Ellis: The first woman in Wales to be sentenced to death on charges of witchcraft

Before her execution, Governor John Winthrop Jr. treated Mary Barnes as a patient. He recorded her symptoms, prescribed medicines, and tracked the costs in his medical notebook. In 1663, she was executed for witchcraft in Hartford, Connecticut. This episode isn’t about the execution. It’s about fractured communities, failed institutions, and real people with lives that existed long before the gallows. It’s about what happens when a doctor’s patient becomes a community’s scapegoat, when churches wage war with themselves, and when the one leader who had stopped witch executions leaves town at the worst possible moment. Between 1647 and 1663, Connecticut hanged more people for witchcraft than any other New England colony. Then it became the first to implement legal protections that saved lives, twenty-nine years before Salem would erupt. Understanding that transformation requires understanding Hartford’s breaking point. Understanding how communities fracture, how institutions fail their people, and how fear finds convenient targets in those who don’t fit strict norms teaches us to recognize these patterns, whether in 1663 Hartford or anywhere scapegoating takes root. This is the story of what happened when a doctor’s patient became a witch. When religious anchors became battlegrounds. When neighbors turned on neighbors. And eventually, when a community chose differently. In May 2023, Connecticut officially absolved all 34 witch trial victims. The Thing About Witch Hunts examines historical witch trials and contemporary persecution patterns worldwide. Hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack explore the context that makes scapegoating possible and how communities can choose differently.* End Witch Hunts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Links Connecticutwitchtrials.org Listen to more CT Witch Trials Podcast Episodes Buy the Book: Before Salem: Witch Hunting in the Connecticut River Valley 1647-1663 What books should I read about the Connecticut Witch Trials? End Witch Hunts Nonprofit Salem Witch Trials Daily Program

How did 19th century Maryland pro-slavery advocates weaponize witch trial narratives against Connecticut abolitionists? Returning guest Dr. Richard Ross III reveals a fabricated 1848 witch trial story designed to discredit Connecticut's anti-slavery movement following the Amistad U. S. Supreme Court case victory. This conversation explores the intersection of witch trial history and American slavery through the curious case of Juliana Cox, a completely fictional Connecticut witch whose story appeared in Maryland newspapers to embarrass Connecticut abolitionists. We consider how missing colonial documents created space for propaganda, examine the real Connecticut witch trials that were hidden for generations, and discuss how witch trial rhetoric became a political weapon in debates over slavery and abolition. Dr. Ross shares research on how the Wyllys family papers disappeared into private collections, why Connecticut's witch trial history remained largely unknown until the 20th century, and the deliberate creation of a witch trial hoax borrowed from English folklore sources to serve pro-slavery political goals. Connecticut witch trial records and their disappearance into private collections The Amistad trial and Connecticut abolitionist movement Fabricated witch trial narratives as political propaganda How pro-slavery advocates compared abolitionists to Salem witch trial accusers The real witch trials of colonial Connecticut finally documented Alice Young: Connecticut's first executed witch Examining bodies for witch marks in colonial New England Literary and political uses of witch trial rhetoric in 19th century America Dr. Richard Ross III is a historian and Professor Emeritus from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where he taught a seminar on New England witch trials for over ten years. He is the author of Before Salem: Witch Hunting in the Connecticut River Valley, 1647-1663 and has conducted extensive research on colonial Connecticut witch trials and 19th century American social history. Connecticut witch trials, slavery and witchcraft, Amistad trial, abolition movement, colonial Connecticut, witch trial propaganda, Richard Ross historian, Alice Young witch trial, Connecticut abolitionists, slavery history, colonial New England, witch trial records, 19th century America, anti-slavery movement, political propaganda, witch hunt history, Maryland newspapers The Thing About Witch Hunts explores historical witch trials and contemporary witch persecution worldwide. Hosted by End Witch Hunts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Sarah Jack. Links Connecticutwitchtrials.org Buy the Book: Before Salem: Witch Hunting in the Connecticut River Valley 1647-1663 Buy the Book: Contagion in Prussia, 1831 Buy the Book: American Body Snatchers End Witch Hunts Nonprofit Salem Witch Trials Daily Program

Historian Mary W. Craig returns to discuss her new book, *A History of Scottish Witches: The Devil’s Handmaidens, which traces the arc from the 1563 Witchcraft Act through its abolition in 1736. Craig explores how beliefs that had existed for generations became capital crimes, examining the theological frameworks, political upheavals, and social structures that shaped prosecutions. The conversation moves from John Knox’s influence on Scottish law to the chaos of 1661-62, when local courts abandoned proper procedures. Drawing on trial records and historical documents, Craig discusses who was accused, how interrogations were conducted, and why the trauma made Scottish descendants harder to trace than their New England counterparts. She also reflects on what medieval Scottish communities believed before the Reformation and how those beliefs were reinterpreted. *A History of Scottish Witches* will be available February 2025 from Pen and Sword Books and is now available for pre-order. **Keywords:** Scottish witch trials, Mary W. Craig, Scottish history, 1563 Witchcraft Act, Reformation Scotland, historical research, witch trial records, social history, legal history Scotland​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Links Buy the Book: A History of Scottish Witches: The Devil's Handmaidens Buy the Book: A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking Buy the Book: The Hammer of Witches Mary W. Craig cohosts the podcast "Borders Bletherings" MaryW.Craig.com End Witch Hunts Nonprofit Salem Witch Trials Daily Program

Episode Overview Clinical health psychologist Peter Mintir Amadu explains the hidden mental health emergency affecting nearly 500 women accused of witchcraft in Northern Ghana and the innovative model transforming their lives. Women accused of witchcraft face a devastating reality: up to 90% suffer from severe depression, PTSD rates exceed 80%, and many live in camps for over 20 years. They've lost everything: family, livelihood, dignity, and hope. But mental health support alone isn't enough. As one survivor told Amadu: "I can sleep now, but when I wake up, I'm hungry. What happens to me?" Initiatives that combine mental health intervention with economic empowerment, creating sustainable change through advocacy, rehabilitation, therapy, livelihood training, and community engagement is being explored. This locally-developed model addresses both psychological trauma and practical survival needs. Ghana faces a 98% mental health treatment gap with fewer than 200 psychologists for 30+ million people. Yet TOLEC is proving that culturally-grounded, resource-conscious solutions can work, from teletherapy programs to training religious leaders as mental health advocates. TOLEC's work extends to prison mental health, maternal psychological care, youth substance abuse prevention, and school-based interventions, all driven by data and local innovation. International collaboration opportunities exist in capacity building, research partnerships, digital health technology, and advocacy. The model is ready to scale. What's needed is global support for local expertise. For organizations seeking meaningful partnerships in African mental health innovation, culturally-responsive trauma care, or women's empowerment initiatives. Keywords: mental health innovation Africa, witchcraft accusations Ghana, trauma-informed development, sustainable mental health programs, international mental health partnerships, women's rights Ghana, community psychology, teletherapy developing countries #MentalHealthInnovation #GlobalMentalHealth #WomensEmpowerment #AfricanSolutions #EndWitchcraftAccusations #TraumaCare Links Total Life Enhancement Center, Ghana Amnesty International, Ghana End Witch Hunts Why Witch Hunts are not just a Dark Chapter from the Past INAWARA International Alliance to End Witch Hunts

What is folklore and how does it connect to witch hunts? Join us for an author talk with Professor Owen Davies and Dr. Ceri Houlbrook from the University of Hertfordshire, discussing their new book Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present. Discover how folklore shapes our daily lives, from cheese rolling traditions to social media rumors. Episode Highlights: • Folklore definition and what folklore actually means today • British folklore traditions and American folklore customs explored • How folklore practices became legal evidence in Salem witch trials • The three types of British witches: conflict witches, accidental witches, and outcast witches • Folk devils versus theological devils in witch hunt history • Spectral evidence, pricking tests, touch tests, and folk magic in historical witch accusations • Why debunked theories like the ergot explanation persist in popular culture • How contemporary folklore evolves through podcasts and social media • The ritual year framework and material culture in folklore studies • Magical thinking and supernatural beliefs across cultures • How folklore cycles between revival and decline Whether you’re studying folklore definition, researching folklore examples, or interested in folklore and popular culture, this author talk explores how folklore studies reveals patterns in human behavior across time. Pick up Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present at https://bookshop.org/shop/endwitchhunts to support our work and explore opportunities to study folklore at the University of Hertfordshire’s MA folklore program.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Links Buy Book: Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present ⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠ ⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts The Thing About Salem website

Enjoy this in-depth author interview with New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Kent. Kathleen opens up about her writing process, her journey from aspiring writer to published novelist, and the craft behind transforming family history into compelling historical fiction. Kathleen's debut novel, The Heretic's Daughter, tells the story of her ancestor Martha Carrier, who was executed during the Salem Witch Trials on August 19, 1692. Martha was from Andover, the town with the most accused witches was blamed for a smallpox epidemic that killed 13 people. Even when her children were tortured into confessing against her, Martha refused to admit to crimes she didn't commit. This episode offers invaluable insights for aspiring novelists and historical fiction writers, covering everything from research techniques to finding your voice as a writer. Whether you're working on your first novel or looking to deepen your craft, Kathleen's experience and teaching expertise provide practical guidance for writers at every level. Kathleen Kent is a New York Times bestselling author and member of the Texas Institute of Letters. Her novels include: The Heretic's Daughter (David J. Langum Sr. Award for American Historical Fiction, Will Rogers Medallion Award) The Traitor's Wife The Outcasts (American Library Association "Top Pick" for Historical Fiction) The Dime, The Burn, and The Pledge (Edgar Award-nominated crime trilogy) Black Wolf Kathleen teaches writing workshops and has worked with Texas Writes to mentor aspiring authors. Kathleen's journey from aspiring writer to published author The writing process behind The Heretic's Daughter Research techniques for historical fiction writers How to balance historical accuracy with storytelling Finding and developing your unique voice as a writer Working with family history and sensitive historical material Navigating the publishing process Teaching writing and what aspiring novelists need to know Transitioning between historical fiction and crime fiction genres Martha Carrier's powerful story of resistance The Andover witch trials and why this town had the most accusations The 1690 smallpox epidemic and its connection to witch accusations How children were tortured into testifying against their parents Cotton Mather's role in documenting the trials The legacy of Salem Witch Trials victims historical fiction writing, Kathleen Kent, The Heretic's Daughter, writing process, aspiring novelists, Salem Witch Trials, Martha Carrier, Andover witch trials, writing advice, author interview, historical research, novel writing, writing workshops, craft of writing, historical fiction authors, publishing advice #WritingCommunity #HistoricalFiction #AuthorInterview #WritingAdvice #KathleenKent #SalemWitchTrials #NovelWriting #WritingPodcast Links Kathleen Kent Website Purchase the novel: The Heretics Daughter by Kathleen Kent Support our Podcast by purchasing books through our affiliate link to End Witch Hunts Bookshop The Thing About Salem YouTube ⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon ⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠ ⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts The Thing About Salem website

Is The Witch of Blackbird Pond historical fact or beloved fiction? Museum educators Martha Smart and Gillie Johnson from the Wethersfield Historical Society pull back the curtain on Elizabeth George Speare's classic novel by revealing what she got right and what she invented. This episode demonstrates why Connecticut's real witch trials deserve more attention than they've gotten. Discover the true story of Katherine Harrison, whose 1669 witch trial revealed the dangerous reality for independent women in Puritan Connecticut. Learn why Gershom Bulkeley, a real historical figure who appears in the novel helped end witch executions in Connecticut by declaring he'd seen no legally proven case of witchcraft. From the Charter Oak legend to the history of slavery in colonial Connecticut, this conversation goes far beyond the novel to explore what life was really like in 1680s Wethersfield and whose stories have been left out of the history books. The real Katherine Harrison witch trial and how it differed from the novel's dramatic courtroom scene Why Connecticut's witch trials ended decades before Salem's panic began How The Witch of Blackbird Pond has shaped—and sometimes distorted—Wethersfield's historical identity What Elizabeth George Speare got wrong about Puritan social customs, trade, and the treatment of outsiders The truth behind the Charter Oak legend and Connecticut's resistance to British rule Martha Smart - Research and Reference Librarian, Wethersfield Historical Society Gillie Johnson - Museum Educator, Wethersfield Historical Society Learn more at wethersfieldhistory.org, where you can explore their database of people of color in Wethersfield's history. Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Connecticut's colonial-era witch trials, including the 1669 case of Katherine Harrison in Wethersfield, form an important part of the state's historical narrative, though they remain less widely recognized than their Salem counterparts. Links Wethersfieldhistory.org Webb Deane Stevens Museum Purchase the book: The Witch of Blackbird Pond from our nonprofit bookshop Connecticut Witch Trial History End Witch Hunts Nonprofit