Not Your Typical Halloween Witches

What does the term ‘witch’ conjure for you? A Halloween costume or someone with bad behavior?  In 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, it meant ostracism, injustice, and death. On November 11, a large group of Greeters visited The New-York Historical Society to travel back to those dark times with a docent through the exhibit, ‘The Salem Witch Trials; Reckoning and Reclaiming’ (through January 22, 2023).

In 17th century America, witches reflected people’s strong beliefs — they were real. The Massachusetts Bay Colony saw itself as a ‘city on a hill,’ exemplifying high moral standards.  Cotton Mather, a Puritan oligarch, saw the devil as a small, dark man—resembling indigenous people—who could shape shift. A special court in Salem judged witchcraft cases involving the disenfranchised (women), enslaved, and indigenous people. Women were the majority of the accused, along with some men: accused witches ranged from four-year-old girls to well-respected women in their 70s. Underlying, but unacknowledged, interpersonal issues could spark accusations: property disputes, jealousy or envy of someone’s wealth. 

Much of the exhibit focuses on 1692. Some teenage girls’ activities looked like witchcraft and Puritans enlisted an enslaved Barbadian woman, Tituba, to investigate; eventually, she was also accused. That summer, there were 19 executions, mostly by hanging. By autumn, the colony self-reflected and ended the accusations and trials. A 1710 Commission provided restitution to the families of the executed and most verdicts condemning many as witches were nullified.

‘Reckoning and Reclaiming’ featured the British fashion designer Alexander McQueen’s tribute to his ancestor, Eliza How, who had been executed as a witch. His 2006 research in Salem revealed How had been prosperous and had land disputes with farmers. To memorialize How, he used witchcraft symbols in his couture.

Throughout US history, accusations, delusions, and  fear have fomented a number of witchcraft-type events, like The Red Scare of the 1950s or fake news today. Unjust trials have resulted,  such as the Jim Crow victimization of people of color. ’Reflections’, the last gallery, reminded us of the influence and impact of Salem’s history, exemplified by Arthur Miller’s play, ‘The Crucible.’

Thomas Satterwhite Noble (1835 - 1907)

In his painting Witch Hill (The Salem Martyr) depicts a young woman on her way to the gallows.

Photos by Mac Chiulli