The Thing About Salem Podcast Por Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack arte de portada

The Thing About Salem

The Thing About Salem

De: Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack
Escúchala gratis

The Thing About Salem is the ultimate podcast of the Salem Witch Trials. Each week, we bring you an engaging 15-minute discussion of a different "thing" or person associated with the witchcraft accusation crisis in and around Salem in 1692 and 1693. Tune in as we discuss "things" like poppets, bewitchment, and witches' sabbaths, and people like Tituba, John Proctor, and Rebecca Nurse. #salemwitchtrials #witchtrials #witchcraftJosh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack Mundial
Episodios
  • Is Superman your Salem Witch Trials cousin? Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's a descendant of a Salem Witch Trials victim!

    Is Superman your Salem Witch Trials cousin? Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's a descendant of a Salem Witch Trials victim!
    Jul 27 2025
    What if we told you that one of Hollywood's most beloved superheroes has a direct connection to Salem's darkest chapter? In this fascinating episode, hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack explore the surprising link between Superman actor Christopher Reeve and a Salem Witch Trials victim who pulled off history's most daring escape.The conversation takes a deeply personal turn as both hosts share their own ancestral connections to the 1692 trials. Through family stories passed down through generations and chance discoveries at historical sites, they reveal how their separate family histories unexpectedly intertwined, leading them to discover they're distant cousins. Their journey from typed genealogy charts in the 1990s to standing in Salem's historic locations brings the past vividly into the present.Dr. Emerson Baker's research suggests there may be over 100 million descendants of people involved in the Salem Witch Trials today. The hosts explore what this means for understanding our shared history and how these connections continue to influence advocacy work around the world. They discuss the broader network of witch trials beyond Salem, including cases in Boston, Connecticut, and Europe, inviting listeners to explore their own potential connections.The episode highlights several remarkable historical figures, including a minister whose extended family bore an extraordinary burden during the trials, and ancestors who transformed from accusers to defenders as events unfolded. These stories illuminate the complex social dynamics and personal courage that defined this turbulent period in American history.Looking beyond historical connections, the hosts draw parallels between Salem's lessons and contemporary issues. They emphasize that the traits demonstrated by their ancestors—perseverance, the courage to speak up, and the willingness to question authority—are fundamentally human qualities that transcend bloodlines.The episode concludes with information about the upcoming World Day Against Witch Hunts, a free online event on August 10th featuring international experts discussing modern witchcraft accusations and support for survivors in Ghana's outcast camps. Listeners can register at endwitchhunts.org/day.Connect with the show on Patreon at patreon.com/aboutsalem to share your own family stories and join the ongoing conversation about Salem's enduring legacy.Christopher Reeve proved that heroism isn’t about superpowers—it’s about perseverance. That’s the gift every Salem descendant carries, but you don’t have to share their bloodline to share their lesson. Salem teaches us about the price of silence, the power of standing up, the importance of questioning authority. Those aren’t genetic traits—they’re human ones.Towne Family AssociationTowne Cousins Facebook GroupListen to the Podcast Episode: Finding Your Salem Witch Trial Ancestors with David Allen LambertSalem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription ProjectMassachusetts Court of Oyer and Terminer Documents, ⁠The Salem Witch Trials Collection, Peabody Essex MuseumRecords of the Salem Witch-HuntThe Thing About Salem Website⁠The Thing About Salem YouTube⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts Website
    Más Menos
    17 m
  • Hysteria in Salem: Nothing to See Here

    Hysteria in Salem: Nothing to See Here
    Jul 20 2025

    Move along folks, the Salem Witch Trials were the product of hysteria, and that's all you need to know. . .

    or NOT

    We kick off with a midnight ride that would make Paul Revere jealous—except instead of warning about the British, townspeople were frantically summoning help for a girl supposedly being tortured by a witch's specter. But before you roll your eyes and mutter "mass hysteria," consider this: What if the Salem Witch Trials weren't the product of unhinged women with wandering uteruses (yes, that's a real historical medical theory), but rather ordinary people responding to extraordinary fear in disturbingly familiar ways?

    Join us as we trace witch panics from Springfield to Hartford, uncovering a pattern that's less "crazy town" and more "calculated legal proceedings." We'll explore why dismissing these events as hysteria might be the most dangerous mistake we can make—especially when the same human behaviors that fueled 17th-century witch hunts are alive and well in. Spoiler alert: We're not as evolved as we think we are.

    Fair warning: Contains references to wandering uteruses, midnight rides, and uncomfortable parallels to contemporary society.

    Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project

    Massachusetts Court of Oyer and Terminer Documents, ⁠The Salem Witch Trials Collection, Peabody Essex Museum

    Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt

    The Thing About Salem Website

    ⁠The Thing About Salem YouTube

    ⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon

    ⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube

    ⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts Website
    Más Menos
    15 m
  • Omelette You Finish, But Did an Afflicted Girl in Salem Divine Her Future with an Egg?

    Omelette You Finish, But Did an Afflicted Girl in Salem Divine Her Future with an Egg?
    Jul 13 2025

    We look at the reported use of oomancy—egg divination—allegedly preceding the Salem Witch Trials. The discussion centers around a haunting account from Reverend John Hale about an afflicted girl who used an egg and glass to divine her future, only to see a coffin appear in the reflection. This ominous vision allegedly led to her eventual death, serving as what Hale callously called "a just warning" about dabbling with divination.

    The hosts explore the ancient origins of divination practices, tracing them back thousands of years to early civilizations. The episode examines various divination methods documented in Salem records, including the sieve and scissors technique, key and Bible, and other techniques for fortune telling. Several fascinating Salem cases come to light, including Samuel Wardwell's admitted fortune telling abilities and Dorcas Hoar's reputation as a local fortune teller who specialized in predicting the deaths of men. The hosts share intriguing testimonies from neighbors who witnessed these practices firsthand, revealing how common divination was in 17th-century New England communities.

    Throughout the episode, the hosts address common myths about Salem, including the popular but inaccurate image of girls gathering in circles for magic sessions. They also explore the mystery of which afflicted girl Hale was referring to in his account, as her identity remains unknown to this day.

    Join Josh and Sarah as they uncover the surprisingly relatable human desire to glimpse the future, one cracked egg at a time. Connect with them on Patreon at patreon.com/aboutsalem to continue the conversation about Salem's divination practices and their modern echoes.

    Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project

    Massachusetts Court of Oyer and Terminer Documents, ⁠The Salem Witch Trials Collection, Peabody Essex Museum

    Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt

    The Thing About Salem Website

    ⁠The Thing About Salem YouTube

    ⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon

    ⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠
    ⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts Website
    Más Menos
    14 m
Todavía no hay opiniones