63 Suffragists of Color Quilt
Added: (Thu Oct 29 2020)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Patricia C. Coleman’s ‘63 Suffragists of Color’ Quilt
Bloomington, Indiana
October 28, 2020
quilterscomfort@gmail.com
https://quilterscomfort.com
‘63 Suffragists of Color’
Artist Patricia C. Coleman began this project as Indiana Suffragist of Color, a piece to be included in a group showing organized in cooperation with WILPF and the Bloomington Quilters Guild. Finding only a few Indiana women, the project focus was expanded to include what was thought to be 54 suffragists which then grew into a piece focusing on 63 suffragist including Native American, Latin Americans, Asians and others. The ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920 allowed white women in the US to vote, but it was not until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that blacks were ensured their voting rights. Suffragist are at work today to ensure that all Americans can use their right to vote.
This is only the beginning of honoring suffragists of color as there are many more out there and then there are those at work today. During her research it became very clear why family members have not been able to connect with ancestors who were Native Americans choosing to live off the reservation in Lynchburg, VA. Legislation at that time removed tribal rights and reclassified the indigeneous living off reservation as colored persons.
Facing the dilemma of not meeting the submission deadline, Patricia asked herself whether to allow this piece to become a UFP (unfinished project) or go forward with finishing the quilt. She is very pleased to have finished the piece whose foundation is mainly cotton fabic pleated in a tessellated pattern with machine stitching applique and quilting. The applique of the suffragettes covers the orderly geometric pleated and stitched pattern and is symbolic of unseen paths these women travelled. The lower portion of the quilt contains a listing of the featured 63 suffragist, and a few select quotes. On the quilts reverse side is a Suffragist of Color Timeline dating from 1792 to today.
A forthcoming blog piece will be posted to Quilter’s Comfort and will include the list of suffragist featured in the quilt, and the 63 Suffragist of Color Timeline. Other information about the quilt, videos, display, etc. will be posted to the Quilters Comfort website at https://quilterscomfort.com. A few images of the quilt in various stages are posted to the artist’s Instagram page @patriciaccolemanart. The ‘63 Suffragettes of Color’ are available on fabric in the Quilter’s Comfort shop https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/quilterscomfort_ and soon available in large poster format.
For more information about the artist Patricia C. Coleman, visit these social media links; and you can send her a message through @patriciaccolemanart on Instagram.
https://www.quilterscomfort.com
quilterscomfortinfo@gmail.com
https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/quilterscomfort_
https://www.quilterscomfort.blogspot.com
https://www.instagram.com/quilterscomfort
https://www.instagram.com/patriciaccolemanart
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