Women of Color Quilters Network facts for kids
The Women of Color Quilters Network (WCQN) is a special group across the country that works to keep the art of African American quiltmaking alive. They help make sure these beautiful, handmade quilts and the stories they tell are remembered and shared.
Contents
How the WCQN Started
The Women of Color Quilters Network (WCQN) was created in 1986 by a talented quilter named Carolyn L. Mazloomi.
For many years before that, in the early 1980s, Carolyn Mazloomi tried to find more African American quilters to connect with. It was hard to find others who shared her passion. So, she placed an advertisement in a magazine called Quilter's Newsletter Magazine. She asked for other quilters who felt the same way to write to her. She received many letters, and these connections led to the start of the WCQN.
Some of the first members of the WCQN included Carolyn Mazloomi, Claire E. Carter, aRma Carter, Cuesta Benberry, Meloydy Boyd, Michael Cummings, Peggie Hartwell, and Marie Wilson.
Later, around 1992-1993, a survey was done by quilter Sandra German. It showed that WCQN members often felt that traditional quilting groups or magazines might not be fair or welcoming to them.
What the WCQN Does
The main goals of the WCQN are to encourage and protect the art of quilt making among people of color. They also research the history of quilts and record information about them. The network helps museums and art galleries find real, handmade African American quilts and fiber art to show to the public.
The WCQN has grown a lot! It now has over 1,000 quilters as members. These members come from the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and even England.
Many quilters in the WCQN create "narrative quilts." These are quilts that tell stories about modern African American life. As Carolyn Mazloomi explained, "we are a people with many stories to tell."
Amazing Quilt Exhibitions
WCQN members often show their quilts in different places. These include community centers, local art galleries, and museums.
Threads of Faith Exhibition
In 2004, the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas, hosted a special traveling show. It was called Threads of Faith: Recent Works from the Women of Color Quilters Network.
Conscience of the Human Spirit Exhibition
In 2014, the WCQN worked with fiber artists from South Africa. They created a new exhibition called Conscience of the Human Spirit: The Life of Nelson Mandela. This show was hosted by the Michigan State University Museum. It featured textile artworks from many South African quilters. The quilts showed how Mandela influenced lives in South Africa and for African Americans.
And Still We Rise Exhibition
The WCQN also teamed up with the Cincinnati Museum Center and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. They toured an exhibition called And Still We Rise: Race, Culture, and Visual Conversations. Dr. Mazloomi helped put this show together. It traveled across the United States.
- In 2015, it was shown at The Bullock Museum for the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth. This exhibition features quilts that show the history of African Americans from 1619 to today.
- From July to September 2017, it was at the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas.
- From October to December 2017, the exhibition visited The Columbus Museum in Columbus, Georgia.
- In 2018, from February to May, the show was at The California Museum in Sacramento.
We Are the Story Project
The Textile Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, worked with the WCQN on a project called We Are the Story. This project was shown at the Textile Center from March to June 2021. After the sad murder of George Floyd in May 2020, the WCQN asked quilters to create quilts for this project. By the deadline, 423 quilts were sent in!
This project included two important exhibitions:
- Gone but Never Forgotten: Remembering Those Lost to Police Brutality had 26 quilts. These quilts showed images related to Black people who died because of police brutality. This exhibition was displayed from September to December 2020 at the Textile Center's Joan Mondale Gallery. It was also shown from February to April 2021 at Lanesboro Arts in Lanesboro, Minnesota.
- Racism: In the Face of Hate We Resist included 63 quilts. These quilts often showed pictures and themes of strength and standing up against unfairness for Black Americans.
Special Projects and Tributes
The quilter Harriet Powers (1837-1910) was formerly enslaved. She made two famous quilts that are still around today: Bible Quilt 1886 and Pictorial Quilt 1898. Her quilts are considered some of the best examples of Southern quilting from the 1800s. Her amazing works are kept in the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts.
In December 2023, a new memorial was dedicated to Harriet and Armstead Powers. This special tribute was placed at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery. The Women of Color Quilters Network helped make this memorial possible.
Other Quilting Groups
Since the WCQN was founded, other national groups have also started to help African American quilters grow and connect:
- National Association of African American Quilters (1993 – 1995)
- African American Quilters Group: Let's Grow to 1,000,000
