When Vodou Comes to Church

“How is it that a veve tops what was the St. Joseph AME Church? The building was completed in 1915, and those churchgoing members conceded to placing a veve where the traditional symbol of their faith normally stands. Vodou takes the place of the cross. Given the name of the community—Hayti—it’s clear that those who built their lives here were inspired by Haiti’s fight for liberation. Perhaps they weren’t as uptight when it came to the practice of vodou. Maybe they understood it as a merging of Catholicism and African religion, practiced among those who attended the church. If that is true, it may be a part of Durham’s religious history that no one wants to address.”