The Thing About Witch Hunts
The Thing About Witch Hunts is the podcast of historical witch trials and modern-day violent witchcraft persecution. From the Salem Witch Trials to the ramifications of today's harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, The Thing About Witch Hunts covers it all. Tune in today to find out why The Thing About Witch Hunts is an essential podcast for everyone interested in this intriguing subject. #history #witchcraft #SalemWitchTrials #witchhunt
Episodes
In May 1692, one of Boston's most respected citizens walked into a Salem courtroom—and the accusers couldn't even identify him. Captain John Alden Jr., son of Mayflower passengers and decorated war hero, seemed an unlikely target for witchcraft accusations. But his connections to Native Americans and the French made him dangerous in the eyes of wartime Massachusetts.
What happened when Salem's witch hunt reached beyond t...
Episode Description:
Massachusetts has an opportunity to make history, and you can be a part of it. On November 25, 2025, Bill H.1927 goes before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Judiciary. This legislation will exonerate 8 individuals convicted of witchcraft in Boston and recognize everyone else who suffered accusations across Massachusetts. Between 1648 and 1693, more than 200 people were formally charged with witchcraft i...
Tune in for this informative virtual panel discussion bringing together three of the world's leading experts on witchcraft accusations and ritual violence. This free online event, co-hosted by End Witch Hunts and featuring speakers from INAWARA (International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks), addresses one of the most pressing yet under-recognized human rights crises of our time.
Professor Charlotte Bak...
Why do witchcraft accusations persist in modern India, and how do gender and caste inequalities fuel this cycle of violence despite legal protections?
Join Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack for a powerful conversation with Bharvi Shahi, currently pursuing her LL.M. at Christ University, Bengaluru, and Razina Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Law at the School of Law, Presidency University, Bengaluru about from their research work in North...
Playwright Laurie Flanigan-Hegge, two directors, and a puppet artist discuss staging "Prick," a play about Scottish witch trials, now opening in Chicago November 6-16.
In August 2023, we spoke with playwright Laurie Flanigan-Hegge about Prick, her play about the Scottish witch trials. It had just premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Two years later, the play has traveled to New Orleans, Wellington (New Zealand), and...
Episode Description
What do vampires, werewolves, and dragons tell us about ourselves? In this fascinating exploration of monsters in culture and society, we dive deep into why humanity has always been obsessed with creatures that go bump in the night.
From the etymology of "monster" (Latin "monstrum" - to warn or demonstrate) to modern cryptids and creepypastas, discover how these frightening figures serve as mir...
What makes a monster? In this spine-tingling episode, Josh and Sarah welcome back fellow podcasters Sean and Carrie from the hit show Ain't it Scary with Sean and Carrie to explore one of the internet's most notorious creations: Slender Man.
From creepypasta legend to real-world tragedy, discover how this faceless, tentacled entity became modern folklore and what it reveals about our relationship with monsters. Four podcaste...
Dr. Richard Raiswell, Dr. David Winter, and Dr. Mikki Brock—co-editors of The Routledge History of the Devil in the Western Tradition explore the devil's complex history, from his biblical origins to his evolution through Western culture. Discover how the devil has been weaponized to demonize marginalized groups throughout history and examine his surprising presence in contemporary society.
The devil's backstory and bibl...
This October, we're diving into the fascinating story of Margaret Jones—the first woman tried for witchcraft in Massachusetts—through Andrea Catalano's debut novel The First Witch of Boston. Josh and Sarah explore this gripping historical fiction that sheds light on a witch trial that happened decades before Salem, in 1648. Discover why this lesser-known story deserves your attention and hear from the author herself about b...
Why This Crossover?
Hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack are featuring The Thing About Salem podcast on The Thing About Witch Hunts podcast to introduce our listeners to our companion 15 minute sized episode podcast! Both shows are produced by the End Witch Hunts nonprofit, and we want to make sure you don't miss out on the incredible stories we're telling about Salem's witch trials. This crossover episode gives Thing Ab...
With his highly anticipated debut graphic novel "More Weight: A Salem Story" releasing, Massachusetts-born author Ben Wickey joins us for an exclusive pre-launch interview about this Alan Moore-praised "appalling masterpiece." The Edward Gorey Award-winning artist's first solo work tells the harrowing tale of Giles Corey, the only person pressed to death under stones during the infamous 1692 Salem Witch Tria...
Nearly 100 years after Salem, a German immigrant widow in Vermont faced trial by water ordeal for witchcraft. In 1785, Margaret Krieger was dropped through ice into the freezing Hoosick River—and survived.
Guests:
Joyce Held, Pownal Vermont Historical Society - researcher who uncovered Margaret's full story
Jamie Franklin, Bennington Museum Curator - connected the trial to post-Revolutionary War political tensions
Key Poin...
Episode Summary: Jennifer Tozer, librarian at Pueblo Community College in Colorado, shares how she created "Witch Trials: Accusation to Exoneration" - a comprehensive month-long educational program running throughout October. When traditional museum exhibits weren't available, Jennifer built her own visual displays from scratch, featuring poster exhibits, author presentations, virtual tours with the Salem Witch Museum...
On September 8 and 22, we are joining Dr. Emerson Baker for exciting virtual events hosted by Partnership of Historic Bostons.Visit Eventbrite to register for FREE:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-other-understanding-witch-hunts-part-i-tickets-1492284887269?aff=oddtdtcreatorOr visit the Partnership of Historic Bostons website for more information: https://historicbostons.org/upcomingeventsThe Other: Understanding Witch Hunts, Part ...
Guest: Dr. Martin Austin Nesvig
Book: The Women Who Threw Corn: Witchcraft and Inquisition in 16th Century Mexico
Dr. Martin Austin Nesvig takes us into colonial Mexico's magical underground, where cultural exchange happened in kitchens between women of different backgrounds. This isn't your typical witch hunt story—Mexico never had mass executions or crazes. The Spanish Inquisition there was more interested in heretics ...
What if history's most infamous witch hunt could have been stopped with just a few different decisions? We're examining the pivotal moments between January 1692 and May 1693 when someone—anyone—could have pumped the brakes on Salem's runaway train of accusations.
From the shocking arrest of four-year-old Dorothy Good to Martha Carrier's unfortunate promotion to "Queen of Hell," we'll explore how escalating choices transformed a loca...
Join hosts Sarah Jack and Josh Hutchinson for this special episode recorded live on August 10th for World Day Against Witch Hunts 2025. This expert panel discussion explores the ongoing crisis of witchcraft accusations in Ghana, where men, women and children are violently expelled from their communities and forced to live in outcast camps.
Featured experts include a representative from Amnesty International Ghana discussing their gr...
Join hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack as they sit down with fellow End Witch Hunts nonprofit board member Mary Bingham for a powerful discussion about modern-day witch hunts and spiritual ritual abuse in the United States. In this special episode commemorating World Day Against Witch Hunts (August 10th), we explore the devastating reality of supernatural fears that continue to harm vulnerable people in over 60 countries worldwi...
In this gripping episode, we sit down with Dr. Keith Silika, a Zimbabwean-born criminal investigator whose extraordinary journey has positioned him at the crossroads of two worlds most of us never see intersect.
Raised between his father's traditional healing practice and devout Catholic faith, Dr. Silika brings an unprecedented perspective to one of today's most misunderstood and dangerous phenomena, ritual attacks. From hi...
In the shadowy valleys of the Western Alps during the 1430s, a terrifying new narrative emerged that would reshape European understanding of witchcraft forever. What began as isolated tales of individual maleficium transformed into something far more sinister—organized gatherings where witches supposedly flew through the night to renounce Christ, feast on children, and pledge allegiance to Satan himself.
Journey with us into the dar...
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