In the 19th century, three American sisters, the Foxes, became among the first celebrity

spiritualists, giving shows in which they hoaxed communicating with the dead.

Now we know they were hoaxing because in later years they confessed everything, but it

did little to diminish their fame.

What it did do was to set a precedent and a road map for all the countless celebrity

psychics and mediums who have followed in their pioneering footsteps.

The Fox Sisters is coming up right now on Skeptoid.

You're listening to Skeptoid.

I'm Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com, wrapping with the Fox Sisters.

Any history of spiritualism or mediumship in the United States always mentions the Fox

Sisters, said to be the originators of the craft of spiritualism.

However, most of these histories fall into one of two camps.

Those that find the Sisters were completely and knowingly fraudulent, and those who claim

their ability to communicate with the dead was genuine.

Today, we're going to look at the Fox Sisters and at the most significant evidence that came

out about their career.

See what we actually know about what they did, how we know it, and hopefully come to some

well-supported conclusion.

Spiritualists and mediums have existed throughout recorded history, of course, even being mentioned

in the Bible, but it was the Fox Sisters who were the first celebrity spiritualists who

really put the profession on the map.

The two Sisters were born in the 1830s in New York State and lived normal lives until

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