Halloween season brings Black Hat Society out to dance
Oct. 29—The history of witch hunts goes back hundreds of years, from nation to nation, but a local group of women has been working for more than a decade to kill the stigma about the sorceresses by bringing laughter and dancing to the community.
The Black Hat Society started when Beverlie Jones-Griffin, who styles herself as the head witch of the local organization, saw a viral video in 2011 of a similar group dancing to "Shake your Bacon." She decided that she wanted to create a sisterhood in St. Joseph. After diving into history, the St. Joseph Black Hat Society was created.
"Harris-Kemper, they do a haunted house tour every year and they were looking for something to do with witches. And I said, 'Well, I've got this dance that I've seen. How about if I get some gals together and we do this?' and they thought that would be great," Jones-Griffin said. "Most people enjoy it, but there are some people that don't agree with it. But it was horrible the way women were treated in the past, and it happened here in the United States. So it's just about love and getting together and loving the environment, and you know, the Earth, the moon, the sun. So that's what we worship."
The society meets several times throughout the year but the members only perform in October. The group has a handful of members, some of whom have been involved since the beginning.
Linda Barker, an original member, said she enjoys dressing up and playing a character.
"I personally think that the stigma that a lot of people put on witches is that they're bad, but it's not bad. It is what you put into it and it is the way you receive it and we always do it in fun. So being a witch is fun and accepting a witch is even more fun," Barker said. "It's kind of like child play, really. I mean, you're playing a character that you don't usually get to play until October. I really enjoy it."
Alice Jacks, also an original member, said she hopes to see others who are interested in creating more sisterhoods in the area.
"Anyone can start their own group if you're interested in it, then you can learn to dance," Jacks said. "We want to have a workshop on how you can start your own group and get your own friends together and start a group. It would be wonderful to have just a whole bunch of us at the park dancing the dance."
The annual Witches Tea event at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, which was held earlier this week, is one of the events the Black Hat Society attends and performs at.
Madison McKinley comes to the event every year with her family, and she said the Black Hat Society is always fun to watch and she finds it very empowering.
"I don't know all the details, but I see them every year and they are always dressed to the nines, their dance is incredible and it's just so fun to watch," McKinley said. "It's a good organization for women to be a part of. It's kind of like women empowerment, you know, and just having something that people can join if they need community. I just think it's so great. It's fun to see everybody come out and put their best costumes on and uplift each other and compliment each other on each other's ideas."
Jones-Griffin said some people have negative connotations about the group but she emphasizes everything they do is in good spirits.
"It's all for fun," Jones-Griffin said. "There's nothing bad, we're not trying to push anyone in any way or anywhere. It's just a fun time."
