Leafy Anderson

Mother Leafy Anderson (1887–1927) was an American spiritualist, who was born in Wisconsin in the 19th century.^[1] She was a Spiritualist who claimed her mediumship included contact with the spirit of the Native American war chief Black Hawk, who had lived in Illinois and Wisconsin, Anderson's home state.^[1][2]

Some reports say Anderson was born in Balboa, Wisconsin in 1887. Records vary as to her marital status.^[3]

In 1913, Anderson founded the Eternal Life Spiritualist Church in Chicago. In 1919, she moved to New Orleans. Some believe that she also established churches in St. Louis, New Jersey, and Indiana^[3] Anderson was the founder of the Spiritual Church Movement in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1920s, a loose confederation of churches largely based in the African American community.^[1][2] The church she founded in New Orleans featured traditional "Spirit Guides" in worship services, with a mixture of Protestant and Catholic Christian iconography,^[2] as well as special services and hymns intended to honor the spirit of the Sauk leader Black Hawk.^[1] Eleven congregations grew out of the original church, with locations in Memphis, Little Rock, and Pensacola.^[3]

After Anderson's death, her successor, Mother Catherine Seals, then led the church, The Temple of the Innocent Blood, until her death, at which point it fractured,^[1] giving rise to a multiplicity of Spiritualist denominations in New Orleans and elsewhere.

These denominations, along with a number of similar but independent Spiritualist churches across America, are known today as the "Spiritual Church Movement."^[2]

See also

• Spiritualism
• Spiritualist Church
• List of Spiritualist organizations