How Halloween took over October

UC professor explains the enduring magic of Halloween

University of Cincinnati history professor Janine Hartman is featured in a Dayton Daily News story examining Halloween’s ancient roots and modern appeal. Hartman, who studies folklore and cultural traditions, explains how the holiday evolved from the Celtic festival of Samhain into today’s vibrant mix of costume parties, community events and candy-fueled fun.

“Halloween seems to unite us, as carnival and familiar, in ways that other events cannot do automatically,” Hartman told the news outlet. She notes that what was once dismissed by some as too pagan is now embraced across generations and faiths, blending spirituality, commerce and creativity into a shared cultural ritual.

From porch skeletons to pet parades, Hartman says Halloween continues to thrive because it offers “a collective moment of joy, imagination and release” — connecting people through playfulness and shared tradition.

Hartman is an often sought out news source on the origins of traditions both cultural and religious.

Read the Dayton Daily News story. The story was also syndicated to the JOURNAL-NEWS.

Hartman has also been cited in the news for her expertise in the area of witches. Read more in The Cincinnati Enquirer: The tale of Ohio's only known witch trial

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An article by the BBC takes the reader back to the late 18th and 19th centuries, when US prosperity was defined by the industrial revolution, a time with little regard for the pollutants that came with industrial expansion. UC's David Stradling, professor of history, cited as expert source in the article.

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