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Entwined threads
The author reflects on the legacy of quilt collector Eli Leon and African American quilter Rosie Lee Tompkins. He offers an overview of the African American origins of the patterns and technique of the quilts from Leon's collection. He tells about the decision of Leon to leave his entire quilt collection to the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive and he also recalls helping Leon in 1997 to find the right places for his collection.
The Genius Behind Bisa Butler's Vibrant Quilts: The renowned artist's exuberant portraits celebrate Black history and take the form to a new level.
The article features artist Bisa Butler and her vibrant quilts and portraits. Also cited are the 19th-century portrait of Harriet Tubman featuring the famed Underground Railroad created by Butler, her large quilted portrait "I Go to Prepare a Place for You" that is displayed at Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, and her quilt of African American science fiction writer Octavia Butler.
Stitching Narratives That Matter: Baron Samedi Visits His New Orleans Cousins
Surrounded by the exhibition, "Quilts and Human Rights" at Michigan State University, public folklorist Diana N'Diaye began stitching a quilt entwined with African American history. Art works such as this one highlight the endeavors of the African American Crafts Initiative to support African American artists by augmenting the visibility and understanding of their work.
Threading Together Her Need and Needle : African American Quilting Techniques and Aesthetics in Toni Morrison's Sula.
A literary criticism of the book "Sula" by Toni Morrison is presented. It examines the plot of the novel, which could be explored through two aesthetic devices, narrative technique and imagery. It also looks into some of the novel's chapters as well as the role of its characters.
Streaming Video
The HistoryMakers video oral history with Serena Strother Wilson.
Educator and quilter Serena Wilson was born on March 18, 1934 in Edgefield, South Carolina. She attended West Virginia State College from 1952 to 1955 and earned her B.S. degree in elementary education from Bluefield State College in 1968. She earned her M.A. degree in psychology in 1973. As a child, Wilson learned the basics of quilting. As an adult, she mastered the art of quilting and made these works of fiber art available to people in South Carolina, Ohio and communities across the country. Wilson and her daughter, Teresa R. Kemp, launched and became co-owners of the McDaniel Secret Quilt Code Program and Museum Exhibit. The program was designed to increase public awareness of quilting and its place in African American history, especially as it relates to the Underground Railroad and activities associated with moving 19th-century Americans from slavery to freedom. Wilson passed away on February 9, 2012.
