Digital Snapshots

The art of quilting in the Black and African American tradition, as well as the general use of quilting, was originally and continues to be for utilitarian purposes; specifically, the creation of blankets and textile goods for use in the household. Quilting is often a communal activity with multiple people, typically women and girls, working on a singular piece together. Quilting practices were also passed down through generations, such as Hystercine Rankin learning as a child from her grandmother “Sister Alice.” As the quilts in this collection highlights, quilting is a form of artistry, providing the creator(s) with a medium on which to make scenes or patterns. In the Black tradition of quilting, African textiles and scenes of Black history are utilized.

Of the four quilts in this exhibit, three were created by Hystercine Rankin—”African Sunburst,” “After My Father’s Funeral,” and “Memories of My Father’s Death”—while “The Hands That Picked the Cotton, Now Help Pick Presidents,” was made by Geraldine Nash, who was a student of Hystercine Rankin.

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