Esotericism, that's for white folks, right?
October 1, 2025 DOI: 10.5117/9789463720205-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that scholarship on Western esotericism has largely ignored black esoteric figures and movements, despite African Americans being among the most innovative and influential practitioners in the history of esoteric thought. The author offers a case study to demonstrate this overlooked contribution. |
Abstract
Newcomers to the study of Western esotericism may be forgiven for thinking that esotericism is indeed just “for white folks.” The vast majority of scholar-ship in the field of Western esotericism has consistently overlooked black esoteric figures, movements, and currents, despite the fact that African Americans have been among the most innovative and influential practitioners in the history of esoteric thought. Consider, for instance, the following case.