Question.1240 - Tapestry of Black History: Handmade Quilts Date & Time: Friday, February 9, 2024, 12-1PM Location: MLK Library, room 225 Title: Tapestry of Black History: Handmade QuiltsLinks to an external site. Synopsis: True historical accounts of the Black American experience told through the intricate threads of handmade quilts. Join educator and historian Khristel Johnson for a unique recounting of periods in Black American history. Write a review in a Google Doc. It should be one page (approx. 500 wds.) double-spaced. Share what you either witnessed, learned, and/or felt while attending this event. Make a connection between something we've covered in class and this artistry. ? Paste your selfie at the bottom of your doc. (remember to give me editing access)
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Tapestry of Black History: Handmade Quilts (Review) Lawrence Butts San Jos? State University AFAM 22: The Humanities in African American Culture Professor Carmen Saleh February 21st, 2024 Tapestry of Black History: Handmade Quilts (Review) Considering the meeting, Tapestry of Black History Handmade Quilts tends to depict the rich culture that speaks stories of struggle and revelation; rather, I would put it as threads of strong history that imply hope, the resilience that implies community, and creative culture of bonding, from the 18th to 19th quilting was seen as a societal value that aided in bonding amongst African American women. Although it serves as a piece of craftsmanship, the meticulous efforts reflecting the symbolism of how it started as a way to preserve culture also was a way to evade an oppressive environment; this practice captured the pivotal moments and legacies that shaped the African American experience.? From the meeting slides, yet another insight that was fascinating was how the quilts transcend mere fabric and stitching, becoming vessels of cultural heritage and storytelling. Just as Australopithecus, represented by the iconic Lucy, marks the dawn of human history, these quilts serve as modern-day artifacts, preserving narratives that span millennia. The practice of quilting within the African American communities around the late 18th century was a tool for socializing and kept the women's community both active and empowered; this was an opportunity for women to socialize without supervision; also, barter practices were seen wherein there was an exchange of fabrics that led to an exchange of creative ideas with various experiences going crossroads (Brown, 1989).? One notable aspect of the quilts is their reflection of the multifaceted identity of African Americans, rooted in the diverse civilizations and cultures of the African continent. From the ancient civilizations of Kemet and Carthage to the flourishing city of Dj?nn? in Mali, these quilts celebrate the interconnectedness of African heritage across time and space. As the scholar, Herodotus tends to imply that diversity was celebrated through the exchange of designs that were seen in intricate art and motifs that adorn the quilts, contributing the culture to humanities. Around the 19th century, the practice of quilting transitioned towards empowerment, wherein black women were able to gain a sense of accomplishment from farm wives or slaves.??From the formidable Nubian queens who disregarded Roman incursion to Mansa Musa, whose wealth leveraged across continents, each quilt signifies a story of triumph over hardship through various choices of color and pattern. The inclusion of historical figures such as Toussaint L'Ouverture underscores the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality, reminding viewers of the enduring legacy of resistance against oppression. The quilts prompt reflection on the conjunctions of dynamic adaptation of religious shifts that politics experienced and power dynamics that have shaped African American history.? I would like to interlink another example from the early 1820s, remembering Harriet Tubman, who was also a quilter, which was one of the things that helped her secretly communicate through codes to help the slaves find freedom across the Underground Railroad (Butler, 2019). While learning implies the doctrine of discovery with its sinister implications for indigenous peoples and the transatlantic slave trade, it finds resonance in the quilts' portrayal of colonialism and its lasting impact on communities of African descent. The expedition from Hispaniola to Haiti encapsulates the struggle for independence and self-determination, illustrating the resilience of the human spirit in the face of systemic injustice, particularly black women. I would like to add another example, Lizzie Hobbs Keckley, the woman who fed herself and seventeen others during the 19th century by selling quilts; she was a teenager when her craftsmanship put food on the plates, she even freed herself and her son by saving ample amount of dollars that was her first step toward moving to D.C., to become professional seamstress and quilter for the first lady, Mary Todd Lincoln, and the Congressional wives, one of her fine work was called as "Liberty" a medallion quilt from the strips of Lincoln's dresses that reflected African American colors, and patterns morph together stitched together to imply independence and individuality (Butler, 2019; Cash, 1995).? References Brown, E. B. (1989). African-American women's quilting. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 14(4), 921-929. Butler, A. (2019). Quiltmaking among African-American women as a pedagogy of care, empowerment, and sisterhood. Gender and Education, 31(5), 590-603. Cash, F. B. (1995). Kinship and quilting: An examination of an African-American tradition. The Journal of Negro History, 80(1), 30-41.More Articles From History
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