Do y'all know the story of Haint Blue? Haint blue is rooted in the African tradition of the Gullah Geechee descendants of enslaved Africans brought to Charleston, South Carolina, in the 1500s. Haint Blue was originally used as a paint on doors to ward off evil spirits, but was later found to have more earthly uses. Hydrated lime, also called calcium hydroxide used inside of the paint was also used in pesticides. In "The Natural Paint Book", it states that lime wash and lime paint have antiseptic

Haint blue paint and Southern porches: Does it keep evil spirits away, and how did it start?

Exploring the Legends of Haint Blue Paint

Southern porches painted ‘haint blue’ hold centuries of spirit-filled folklore

In the south Haint Blue can be seen in porches from Charleston to New Orleans and everywhere in between. The tradition is believed to have started with enslaved Black folks in the Low Country. The term haint refers to spirits than enslaved people knew to be evil by way of Africa. They painted their houses with a specific blue for protection. Today the practice of haint blue porches has become widespread and can be seen in many southern states, many citing it keeps insects from nesting but it’s i