MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

The patchwork quilt has held an important place in American history since the establishment of the first colonies. It is viewed as symbolic of a traditional past, yet has been utilized in a plethora of ways since the nation’s founding. Quilts can serve a multitude of purposes. They can be utilitarian, comprised of available scraps and intended to provide warmth and cover. They can be used to tell stories or teach about events or individuals. They can be used as hand-made works of commemoration, sometimes on a grand scale. They can even serve activist intentions. Each type of quilt is subject to so much variation. However, these varying types of quilts bear strong connections to American culture at a particular place and time. While American quilts have not always been viewed as distinctive works of art, there can be no doubt about their significance in American memory. Furthermore, quilts have been connected with a parochial ideal, while simultaneously telling new and modern stories as time progresses. Creative individuals have elevated hand-crafted quilts to the level of high art storytelling, while activists have used the medium as a way to bring empathy and intimacy to discussions of loved ones lost to AIDS. From the quilts created by women in the Revolutionary era, to the quilts of Faith Ringgold in the late twentieth century, these works can tell powerful stories either indirectly or directly. Additionally, a quilt may be intimately personal, but can be created by many individuals working together, such as the NAMES Memorial Quilt Project, which commemorates victims of AIDS. Ultimately, despite the major variation that exists between quilts throughout American history, focusing on a few examples that demonstrate cultural storytelling can illuminate the immense power of this formerly utilitarian art form.