Although the most popular of hoodoo magic dream books for gambling luck is "Aunt Sally's Policy Players Dream Book," there have been and continue to be numerous other dream books containing alphabetical lists of objects and situations found in dreams, accompanied by interpretations and lucky numbers for playing policy and other forms of lottery. These books are primarily published for the use of gamblers in the black and Latin American and communities of the United States.
More general information about dream books, policy wheels, and lottery betting will be found in the page about "Aunt Sally's Policy Players Dream Book" -- but this page is devoted to what is known to me about the dream books that were written and published by Herbert Gladstone Parris, also known as Professor De Herbert and Professor Uriah Konje, an African American author and publisher.
First, here is a list, in chronological order of publication, of
Parris's lottery dream books. All of these dream books achieved national distribution
and were kept continually in print throughout the 20th century.
Books written as by Konje, Prof. Uriah
pseud. of Parris, Herbert Gladstone.
The H. P. Dream Book,
by Uriah Konje, pseud. of Herbert G. Parris.
© December 1, 1926; A956627.
Uriah Konje (Herbert Parris) (Author);
© renewed June 24, 1954; R132283.
[Note: The "H.P." of the title is Herbert Parris]The Lucky Star Dream Book,
by Prof. Konje, pseud. of Herbert G. Parris.
© June 5 1928; A1053086.
Prof. Konje (Herbert Parris) (Author);
© renewed January 23 1956; R163259.The Combination Dream Book,
by Prof. Konje, pseud. of Herbert G. Parris.
© January 10 1929; AA11448.
(Herbert Parris) (Author);
© renewed May 9 1956; R170302.
Books written as by De Herbert, Prof.
pseud. of Parris, Herbert Gladstone.
The Golden Dream BookThe G. Parris Co. also published "The Policy Joe Dream Book." I assume that it, like the others, was written by Herbert Parris, but i have not yet located a copy to check.
by Professor De Herbert, pseud. of Herbert G. Parris.
© 1932.The Success Dream Book
by Professor De Herbert, pseud. of Herbert G. Parris.
© 19xx (mentions "bobbed hair" but does not mention "television;" hence c. 1925 - 1935)The Success Dream Book ("greatly revised edition")
by Professor De Herbert, pseud. of Herbert G. Parris.
© 1985; 256 pages
published by G. Parris Co., Inc.
P. O. Box 435, West Hempstead, N. Y. 11552
I do know that there was another H.P. style dream book -- "The Harlem Pete Dream Book" -- which was written by Alex Silverberg of the Lady Dale's occult shop on South Street in Philadelphia. The "Harlem Pete" was an obvious attempt to to cash in on the popularity of Herbert Parris' "H. P. Dream Book" under a variant title.
Next, we take up the question of identity:
Who was Herbert Gladstone Parris, and what was his relationship to those who used his books for gambling?
Who was "G. Parris," who ran the publishing company -- a wife, son, daughter -- or Herbert G. Parris using his middle initial?
At this time, i do not fully know the answers to those questions, but i can make a few informed guesses.
Given the dates of publication, copyright renewals, and book revisions -- 1926 through 1985 -- it can be assumed that Herbert G. Parris was born before or around 1900 and was still alive in the mid-1950s.
The Social Security Death index lists two likely candidates born before 1900 with the name Herbert Parris (no middle initial). Strangely enough, they were both born in June, 1893. The first, born June 1, 1893, received his Social Security card in the state of New York and died in Wykagyl, Westchester County, New York in March of 1972. The second, born June 11, 1893, was issued his Social Security card in New jersey and died in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in August of 1973.
A third possible, but far less likely, candidate was the Herbert Parris (again, with no middle initial) born March 4, 1901, who received his Social Security Card in New Jersey and died in Middlesex, Middlesex County, New Jersey, in August of 1975.
If one of these three men was Herbert Gladstone Parris, then it seems apparent that his family successors were responsible for the revisions to "The Success Dream Book" in 1985 and the reprinting of the "H. P. Dream Book" in 1980.
It can also be inferred, from his use of the pseudonym Konje, that Parris had extensive dealings in the African American magical community, where "conjure" is another name for hoodoo rootwork.
As for the personality of this prolific author and publisher, there is a suggestive hint that he openly espoused left-wing or liberal political sympathies and social beliefs in the message that fills the entire last page of "The Success Dream Book" and also takes up a full page in the "H. P. Dream Book:
---------------------------------------------------------
To All Oppressed
To become an able and successful person in
People Of The World
any profession two things are necessary, study
and practice. The one who succeeds in life is the
one who early on clearly knows his object and
toward that object routinely directs his powers.
Education has the magnificent quality of setting
one apart from others. It can provide one with
something that not only meets the needs of
today, but rather the means to meet the demands
of the day after tomorrow and the day after that.
Education can have as its function the
changing of social status or the preservation of
the status quo. The final choice lies with each
and everyone of us.
I am appealing to all to make the former choice.
---------------------------------------------------------
In addition to his outspoken plitical views, Parris was also a philosopher who attemted to inculcate the gamblers who used his betting system with a sense of perspective, for in the introduction to the "H. P. Dream Book he wrote,
---------------------------------------------------------
Happiness and love can be derived from this book,
if it applied carefully. I think everyone should
strive to acquire these two essential agencies of
life, especially love, since love is the only supreme
agency in the guidance of man's career and self-
determination of his ultimate destiny.
---------------------------------------------------------
If anyone has further information on Herbert G. Parris, his private life, or his career as an author of dream books, i should like to hear of it.
Also, if anyone has information on other early to mid 20th century
dream book authors such as "Professor Zonite," "Professor E. Z. Hitt,"
"Policy Pete," and "Harlem Pete," i would
appreciate some leads. I actively collect dream books of this
era and would appreciate any and all offers of such books and pamphlets for sale.
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