Oct 22, 20 eleanor burns shares a story passed down through families about a link between slavemade quilts and the underground railroad. An extensive book list covering africanamerican history, culture and literature compiled by the south county library in suffolk, ny the underground railroad and the use of quilts as messengers for fleeing slaves by kimberly wulfert, phd to many of us, the use of quilts as messengers on the underground railroad ugrr is a myth. The story of underground railroad quilts, in particular the ozella account that is the basis of the book hidden in plain view has been rejected as unfounded hearsay by accredited museums and professional historians specializing in the underground railroad. These quilts were embedded with a kind of code, so that by reading. Learn how fifteen quilt blocks may have played a significant role in communication between the slaves and how it helped them on their way to freedom. Several years later, quilter eleanor burns and sue bouchard became fascinated with williams story and created a sampler quilt based on the secret code, publishing the patterns in the book the underground railroad sampler. There are lots of pictures on flickr, but here is the front and the back. When jacqueline tobin and raymond dobard explored in their book hidden in plain view. A secret story of quilts and the underground railroad. In her make a paper quilt block activity, carson 2005 encourages readers to create a quilt block pattern. When marie webster wrote the first known book on quilting in 1915 she referred to the jacobs ladder pattern in this way, the bold and rather heavy design known as jacobs ladder is a good example of a pieced quilt.
Each quilt has a story about how a quilt may have helped an oppressed individual get away. Sharon tindall, colorful underground railroad sampler, 2008, cotton, 88 x 70. For more information new jerseys underground railroad mythbuster covers several ugrr myths including the one about quilts. Seldom do we find a quilt pattern with just one name. The myth of underground railroad quilts the ladies tea. Try a search for underground railroad quilt myth or something similar. Copy a supply of quilt square patterns in this kit. See more ideas about quilt block patterns, underground railroad and civil war quilts. This quilt was a message to pack provisions for their journey as if they were packing a wagon. The quilt code also gave clues and indicated directions for the railroad journey. Underground railroad sampler by eleanor burns alibris. This activity is included with my show way book studyplease do not purchase. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Unfortunately, the book repeatedly uses racist language in each story.
There have been many of these made and im sure shown on the forum. The history of the underground railroad discussed throughout the book is very brief. However, i used it as a visual guide on what these quilts may have looked like, and how conductors used them to direct fugitive slaves to freedom road. According to legend, a safe house along the underground railroad was often indicated by a quilt hanging from a clothesline or windowsill. Jacqueline tobin and raymond dobard first posited the quilt code theory six. Since 1978 when she selfpublished her first book make a quilt in a day. He has also written a critique of the book, hidden in plain view. A quilt with an evening star pattern, believed by some to be a secret code used by slaves to guide them along the underground railroad.
Quilt codes of the underground railroad by debra bays tpt. Quilts from the underground railroad, part 1 youtube. Students create their own freedom quilt using four quilt blocks all out of paper. Just a few are jacobs ladder, underground railroad, road to california, off to san francisco, gone to chicago, stepping stones and trail of the covered wagon.
Underground railroad sampler 735272010685 quilt in a day. These re p resent some of the most common quilt blocks used in coded quilts. Jun 22, 2014 because it can be traced to one single source, a person promoting her book. See more ideas about underground railroad, quilts and civil war quilts. Feb 23, 2011 in the introduction she describes her encounter with the book hidden in plain view and how she had always been interested in the underground railroad as well. A great resource in exploring the history of quilting and how quilts were used to symbolize secret escape routes on the underground railroad. Fifth graders create a freedom quilt and learn how many african americans escaped to freedom. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. The book claims that there was a quilt code that conveyed messages in counted knots and quilt block. Centered on an empowering account of enslaved african americans who ingeniously stitched codes into quilts to signal those seeking freedom in the north toward safe haven, this gratifying story has stirred.
See more ideas about quilt blocks, quilt patterns and quilts. Underground railroad quilt code catbird quilt studio. My customer was so proud of her quilt and asked me to custom quilt it she generally has her quilts done with an overall pattern. Kris driessen of albany ny is an accomplished quiltmaker, quilt historian, quilting teacher, author, researcher, and lecturer. Jul 16, 2010 legend has it that african american slaves would hang the quilts on clothes lines, over fences, or over windowsills as if airing out the quilts while all the time they were really giving codes, via the quilt pattern,to escaping slaves traveling the nearby road. The quilt that hannah and her late mother made together offers clues in the quilt blocks. The book contains yardage and cutting charts in addition to fabric identification pages that will assist the quilter in cutting and marking her fabric for this beautiful sampler. In the introduction she describes her encounter with the book hidden in plain view and how she had always been interested in the underground railroad as well. Well if not, a brief history is that it was not a train at all, but a secret network of people who assisted slaves during the 19th century to escape from the southern states, staying in secret and hidden safe houses on the way. Dorothy logan in front of her quilt, holding the book the underground railroad sampler. In recent years, one of the most powerful quilt myths to emerge has centered on the role quilts may have played in the underground railroad. A quilt of secondary importance in the list of escape quilts is the carpenters. This resource is designed to be a companion to our underground railroad stations project as part of the quilt making station. Jun 24, 2007 depending on the pattern, a seemingly innocent quilt left on a porch or fence or hung in a window could signal to slaves on the plantation to get ready to escape monkey wrench pattern, go north.
This book is actually a pattern book to teach quilters how to create underground railroad quilts. Unravelling the myth of quilts and the underground railroad. Hidden in plain view is ultimately a book about a woman who meets a black quilter at a market in charleston, sc and goes down multiple rabbit holes to break a secret code. For this underground railroad lesson, 5th graders complete a kwl chart on the underground railroad, read a book about the underground railroad. Given the beautiful illustrations by hudson talbott and the silver newbery honor book sticker on the book s cover, show way will perpetuate the myth of the quilt code for years to come. A secret story of quilts and the underground railroad random house a family legend that said messages encoded in quilts. Underground railroad, monkey wrench, wagon wheel, carpenters wheel, bears paw, basket, crossroads, log cabin, shoofly, bow tie, flying. In stitched from the soul 1990, gladysmarie fry asserted that quilts were used to communicate safe houses and other information about the underground railroad, which was a network through the united states and into canada of conductors, meeting places, and safe houses for the passage of african americans out of slavery. Underground railroad quilt quilt pictures, patterns. I loved my quilting class and i rekindled my love of sewing and quilt making. While show way is about more than the underground railroad quilt code, it relies on the idea of the code to frame the story. I have used another book similar to this one to teach about the underground railroad and influential americans who helped people travel on the underground railroad in my 5th and 6th grade classrooms. Centered on an empowering account of enslaved african americans who ingeniously stitched codes into quilts to signal those seeking freedom in the north toward safe haven, this gratifying story has stirred controversy within the world of quilt. The patchwork pathby bettye stroud candlewick press, 2005.
From slavery to freedom with 21 activities states as fact that quilts were used to help runaway slaves. Eleanor burns shares a story passed down through families about a link between slavemade quilts and the underground railroad. People are incredibly gullible when it comes to underground railroad stuff. The symbols could show runaways that they were welcome, or they could show warnings about dangers nearby. The idea, clearly presented as fiction in sweet clara and the freedom quilt, that slave quilts served as coded maps for escapees, entered the realm of claimed fact in the 1999 book hidden in plain view, written by raymond dobard, jr. I will think if the quilt patterns discussed here from a slightly different frame of reference after reading this, and that is, overall, a good thing. The idea, clearly presented as fiction in sweet clara and the freedom quilt, that slave quilts served as coded maps for escapees, entered the realm of claimed fact in the 1999 book hidden in plain. She showed a black and white picture of this pattern with the caption, one of the most striking quilts having biblical names. This is a also a book that could make history and textiles come alive for someone who is just becoming interested in the underground railroad, quilts, etc.
Underground railroad sampler gives a fairytalelike narrative of people escaping their oppressors. For an indepth background on the underground railroad go to putting it in perspective. There are also directions to make a miniature underground railroad quilt. Her articles on dating, cleaning and just plain appreciating antique and vintage quilts have appeared in.
Underground railroad quilt myth quilt history myths. The book has 168 full color pages with step by step instructions for each of the 15 blocks. Underground railroad sampler quilt patterns for all your. This power point presentation by debra bays tells the story of the role of quilt blocks in the journey north along the underground railroad.
Mary kay carsons book the underground railroad for kids. In the book, the authors chronicled the oral testimony of ozella. Join eleanor burns and sue bouchard as they guide you through the story of the underground railroad. Each quilt pattern was delivering a communication code to the escapees on the run. This book tells how hannah and her papa escaped from slavery along the underground railroad. This would be a great way to integrate history into mathematics as we explore tessellations. This railroad quilt pattern is part of the popular underground railway quilts from the. Aug 28, 2007 i have used another book similar to this one to teach about the underground railroad and influential americans who helped people travel on the underground railroad in my 5th and 6th grade classrooms. Log cabin pattern, she has authored over seventy five additional books. Wheel quilts have a round pattern and during the era of the underground railroad, wagons with hidden compartments were one of the primary means of transporting runaways. Underground railroad sampler 735272010685 quilt in a day books.
May 18, 2014 the idea, clearly presented as fiction in sweet clara and the freedom quilt, that slave quilts served as coded maps for escapees, entered the realm of claimed fact in the 1999 book hidden in plain view, written by raymond dobard, jr. Really good stuff activity guide underground railroad. These quilts were embedded with a kind of code, so that by reading the shapes and. Jan 18, 2000 i will think if the quilt patterns discussed here from a slightly different frame of reference after reading this, and that is, overall, a good thing. Often times, slaves were prepared for their journey north by using a quilt sampler to instruct about what tools to accompany them on the journey. I picked up that pattern book and went home with it. Slaves reportedly made coded quilts and then used them to navigate their escape. This book has nice technical information for constructing beautiful traditional quilts. Centered on an empowering account of enslaved african americans who ingeniously stitched codes into quilts to signal those seeking freedom in the north toward safe haven, this gratifying story has stirred controversy within the world of quilt scholarship. Slaves reportedly made coded quilts and then used them to navigate. Really good stuff activity guide underground railroad quilt guide. Depending on the pattern, a seemingly innocent quilt left on a porch or fence or hung in a window could signal to slaves on the plantation to get ready to escape monkey wrench pattern.
Exploring the patterns of ozella mcdaniel williamss quilt code explain that small student groups will assigned one of the quilt code patterns to explore and understand in greater detail. Legend has it that african american slaves would hang the quilts on clothes lines, over fences, or over windowsills as if airing out the quilts while all the time they were really giving codes, via the quilt pattern,to escaping slaves traveling the nearby road. The book has 168 full color pages with step by step. Underground railroad sampler also includes a color page depicting the story of the underground railroad that can be photocopied onto photo transfer fabric and included in the quilt. Quilt in a day tv series, quilts from the underground. Underground railroad quilt patterns underground railroad. Assembling a classroom quilt the class will reconvene as a whole group and each small group will share their assembled pattern as well as thoughts from their discussion. To make squares more sturd y, mount squares on construction paper before cutting apart.
Railroad quilt pattern part of the underground railroad. I had also ordered the underground railroad patterns in the book of the sampler. Each pattern will then be secured on a large poster board to assemble a classroom underground railroad quilt. Underground railroad sampler quilt in a day series. Theres lots of debunking, but it just doesnt stick. Red geese quilt pattern by brigitte heitland zen chic. The quilter, ozella, draws in the author tobin with an oral history of the meaning of quilt lore as used among slaves in the antebellum south. The underground railroad quilt code in childrens books.