The Seybert Commission investigation of Spiritualism

Record summary

The University of Pennsylvania’s Seybert Commission investigated mediums, séances, and alleged spiritual manifestations in the 1880s, publishing its findings in 1887. The commission’s report criticized prominent practices and expressed skepticism toward the evidential claims it examined. This lead matters as a comparison point for methodological standards, failed controls, witness expectation, and the institutional reception of apparition reports. It is not a single haunting, but a documented attempt to evaluate many claims. Researchers should inspect the original report and the commission’s procedures rather than relying on summaries.