Quilts; Underground Railroad

1
Quilts Underground Railroad

• Presenters Bridgett, Edith, Rosetta, Gayle, and
  Patricia

2
Questions to think about?

• What are the origins of quilting?
• How were quilts used during the Underground
  Railroad?
• What do the symbols mean?
• Slave quilts fact or fiction?

3
What are quilts, and what is quilting?

• Quilt A warm covering made of two layers of
  cloth filled with material with loft, stitched
  together with lines or patterns
• Quilting two layers of fabric with lines of
  stitching

4
What are the origins of quilting?

• People believed it originated in China and Egypt
  simultaneously
• 11th Century Crusaders brought a form of quilting
  to Europe from the Middle East
• Quilts made during the 11th were made out of
  necessity because of severe cold
• In the 19th Century it became the great Quilting
  Age in Europe and America. Quilting Bees became
  popular

5
Quilting in Africa

• Quilts were weaved instead of stitched, Early
  African Civilizations used looms
• Work was done by men
• Loud color were used so that they could be seen
  from a distance and enemies could be spotted
• Patterns used could symbolize status, birth,
  marriages, and geographic locations
• Patterns were woven to ward off evil spirits

6
Use of Quilts on the Plantation

• Many slaves quilted blankets left from old flour
  sacks, feed sacks, worn clothes, rescued
  curtains, and old coats
• Slaves quilted blankets for coverlets for their
  Masters
• Slaves often hung out their master quilts in
  order that they may air out

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So how were quilts used on the Underground
Railroad?

• Many quilts had stitches that were used as maps.
  Maps for the road heading North, Maps of the
  Plantation.
• They included the manner of how to act and what
  to wear on the escape route North
• Quilts also included well wishes, and a way to
  ward off evil spirits for their journey North

8
Some common Quilt Patterns?

• Bear Claw- It means follow the path of the bear
  it would lead to water

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Monkey Wrench

• Gather tools for the journey

10
The Wagon Wheel

• Pack ALL the necessary supplies, as if you were
  packing a wagon

11
Cross Roads

• Cleveland was the Cross Roads into Ohio and there
  were 5 different freedom trails from here

12
Log Cabin

• Draw a symbol in the dirt for the Conductor to
  see, or look for a safe house with the same
  pattern

13
Shoo Fly

• It is believed that this was a free black that
  could help slaves escape to freedom

14
Bow Tie

• Dress up, wear new clothes, so they you could
  pass for free blacks living in the North

15
Flying Geese

• Flying Geese fly North in the Spring time, so
  slaves should go North

16
Drunkards Path

• Slaves should walk in a zig zag path in order to
  confuse whoever was tracking them

17
Star

• Follow the North Star

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Fact or Fiction?

• No artifacts left behind
• Recorded stories of slaves, they never mentioned
  it nor Abolitionist working on the Underground
  railroad
• Stories using slave quilts were passed down by
  word of mouth
• Recorded histories of symbols being used in
  fabric in Africa, why couldnt that idea have
  traveled
• Spirituals, objects on the plantation and safe
  houses, body language were used to help slaves
  escape, so why not quilts

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Activity

• You will create your own quilt square using
  construction paper
• Using the shapes create your own secret quilt
  square.
• As you are working thinking how this activity can
  be used across the curriculum.