Abstract

"From Trances to Talk Shows: Advertising Psychic Practices in the United States"

Rahima Schwenkbeck, College of Southern Nevada (rahimaschwenkbeck@gmail.com)

The desire to connect to the departed has spanned cultures and millennia. Although it is not uniquely an American phenomenon, the United States has witnessed distinct movements, religions, and locales dedicated to contacting the deceased. Spiritualism, for instance, experienced a surge in popularity following the Civil War, fueled by the yearning of bereaved individuals to reconnect with lost loved ones. The field grew so much it experienced professionalization and a commercial boom between the 1870s–1900s.

Initially, advertising efforts were dedicated to building credibility amidst widespread doubt. Mediums would place newspaper ads promising “scientific demonstrations” of spirit communication or “comfort for the bereaved,” with credentials in the form of testimonials, and even endorsements from members of the clergy. By the turn of the century, mediums like Leonora Piper and Margery Crandon were appearing in popular magazines and talk circuits, gaining a kind of celebrity that blurred the line between modernity and mysticism.

Contemporary popular culture further perpetuates the fascination with mediums and communication with the dead through shows such as Life After Death with Tyler Henry, Long Island Medium, Crossing Over with John Edward, and regular appearances of Sylvia Browne on The Montel Williams Show. As time progressed, advertising psychic services and shows shifted its focus from combating skepticism to crafting the persona of the medium.

While the enduring fascination with the psychic and medium industry persists within American culture, it grapples with an ongoing challenge: skepticism. Those involved in this field strive to establish themselves as genuine and trustworthy. This discussion aims to delve into not only the contemporary American attitudes towards mediums and psychics but focuses on the evolution of advertising strategies throughout history. After all, how does a medium gain credibility?