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Patterns of Liberation: The Quilt Code of the Underground Railroad

Members of the Jubilee Quilt Circle, a long-standing program of the Community Artists’ Collective, participated in a year-long residency at the Glassell School of Art. Meeting weekly, the quilters researched many designs in the textiles displayed in the Museum and immersed themselves in classes offered by Glassell to expand their artistic language.

Patterns of Liberation: The Quilt Code of the Underground Railroad is the culminating display of the Circle’s residency and reflects each quilter’s unique interpretation of the patterns sewn into quilts once used as codes during the time of slavery in America. The patterns in each quilt pay homage to the intricate network of people who comprised the Underground Railroad and who deployed these designs as a means of communication, guiding individuals on specific pathways to freedom.

Particular sequences, colors, symbols, and thread lengths revealed vital information to aid navigation from one checkpoint to the next, which ultimately led freedom seekers to Canada. Designing quilts in this fashion is an example of the use of ancestral knowledge passed down by generations of quilters, and it highlights this work as a significant thread in the fabric of American cultural tradition.

Jubilee Quilt Circle

The Jubilee Quilt Circle | JQC, one of The Collective’s long-standing education programs, offers quilters a unique opportunity to convene over a shared love of the craft of quilting. Monthly 2nd Thursday Workshops provide regular interaction between JQC and the community for hands on learning of this art form.

For more information visit: www.thecollective.org/jubilee-quilt-circle

Community Artists’ Collective

Community Artists’ Collective | The Collective, founded in 1987 by Michelle Barnes and Dr. Sarah Trotty, was established to fulfill a need for artistic and generational learning steeped in African American culture in their community. Since their founding, The Collective has provided accessible space for emerging and established artists of color to foster the expansion of their artistic interests and creative inspiration. Community Artists’ Collective is honored to serve the arts community in Houston for nearly forty years. In 2023, The Collective received recognition and designation as a Houston Cultural Treasure by the BIPOC Arts & Network Fund.

For more information visit: www.thecollective.org

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