Southern Conjure women are the manifestors of Southern Black joy. Southern conjure women are women from or in the South. These women utilize root work and/or conjure as a means of empowerment, self-preservation, and healing. In the discussion of Southern conjure women, I employ "conjure feminism" to understand the significance of Southern conjure women and their role in society. In addition, I also use Lindsey Stewart's The Politics of Black Joy to discuss how root work plays a significant role in the production of Southern Black joy. In my discussion of the Southern conjure woman, I explore Gloria Naylor's Mama Day and Ntozake Shange's Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo. I utilize characters from these works as archetypes of Southern conjure women. I also talk about how each character utilizes root work and conjure to manifest Southern Black joy.
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