QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-14

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

89.0071

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2000:71.1

Object label:

Ku Klux Klan Quilt (Shoo-Fly Variation)
Made by various individuals
Chicora, Michigan
1926
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2000:71

Essay:

In 1987, Loma Bell Rowe Mudget gave away some of her belongings to family members. She knew that her nephew Karl, a high school teacher, was interested in family and local history and presented him with a bag, inside of which were two items Karl had never seen before: a family bible and the K.K.K. quilt. Loma told Karl that she had inherited the quilt from her father, also Karl's grandfather, Frank, when he had died in 1960. As an educator and historian, Karl was determined to find out more about it. Karl brought the quilt to the attention of historians specializing in state and local history and importantly, Karl interviewed elder family members about the quilt.

Karl discovered that his paternal aunt, Grace Rowe Way, at age sixteen, had been enlisted, much to her embarrassment but because she had fine handwriting and sewing skills, to stitch names onto the quilt. Way recalled that each person paid 10 cents to have their name stitched on a block and when the quilt was completed, members of the local Klan entered a raffle to win it. Karl's grandfather, Frank Rowe, held the winning ticket.

The K.K.K. Fundraising Quilt: A Primary Resource for Research and Education
This quilt, done in the Redwork style, is a significant example of how textiles are important documents of history and how objects of material culture provide primary source data for describing, analyzing, and understanding aspects of human history. The materials, construction, design, pictorial imagery, signatures, the oral histories and related ephemera, and even condition of this quilt hold clues that strengthen and expand our understanding of quiltmaking, of Klan activity, and of the social and cultural history of a particular community at a particular point in time.

Whether or not they intended to do so, members and supporters of the Ku Klux Klan in one Michigan community created--in this Redwork textile--an artifact that continues to be a testimony to their beliefs, relationships, and actions. In an age where we continue to struggle with local, national, and global issues of tolerance, social justice, and human rights, this artifact can help us understand the roots of fear and intolerance and to serve as a powerful reminder not to perpetuate the mistakes of the past.

The MSU Museum houses additional material cultural resources related to KKK activities, additional archival resources are housed in the special collections of the Michigan State University Library http://www.lib.msu.edu/coll/main/spec_col/radicalism/klan.htm.

Quilt's title:

Chicora KKK Quilt

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Shoo Fly

Brackman # or other source & #:

1654

When was the form filled out?

11/10/1990

Quilt top made by:

Ku Klux Klan, Chicora

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Chicora

Where the quilt was made, county:

Allegan

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1901-1929

When was the quilt started?

around 1926

When was the quilt finished?

1926

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Group

Quiltmaker's city:

Chicora

Quiltmaker's county:

Allegan

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's educational background:

High school

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

None

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Practical Nurse, Allegan Health Center

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Gile, Horace

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

English

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Gile, Alice Row

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

Pennsylvania Dutch

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

60"

How long is the quilt?

80"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

Quilt's condition:

Poor/very worn

Repairs:

Tear or hole sewn together

What is inscribed on the quilt?

"Chicora, K.K.K. 1926" and "K.K.K. 77." The blocks are embroidered with signatures. Virgil Riefel, Marvin Woolf, Edith Rowe, Ira Rowe, Harry Konkle, Ben Riefel, Cassie Riefel, Howard Riefel, Maggie Konkle, Cora Torrey, Eric Torrey, Mildred Woolfe, Lillie Gilson. Minnie Porter, Eric Wolf, Helen Wolf, John Rankins, Lora Rankins, Walter Rankins, Mary Wolf, David Wolf, Albert Rankins. Katie Payne, Hattie Wall, Gordie Wall, Clara Miller, Ralph Busfield, May Busfield, Bob Dyer, Fern Sweet, Jonny Sweet. Howard K. Hamilton, Muriel Sweet, A. Johnson, Elizabeth M. Clark, C.A. Clark, Charlotte Gile, Hazle L. Hamilton, Albert N. Hamilton, Virgil L. Hamilton. A. Sabrite, L.A. Nash, E.J. Nash, C.A. Mason, Hellon Mason, Robert Mason, Mrs. A. Cook. S.J. Cook, Marie Tripp. Charlie Van Horn, Emma Van Horn, Lloyd Van Horn, Ruby Brindley, M. Brindley, Irving Brindley, Martha Shultz, Aura McBride, Mae Wilkenson. J.P. Hamilton, Myrtle Hamilton & Ovonah, George & Eva & Myrtle Jr. Hamilton, Lionel & Elva & Beverley Hamilton, Gertie & Ora Holmes. Bill Rowe, Ben F. Hamlin, Gladys Kibbe, Herb Welch, Basil Gile, Harry Clark, Goroon Kibbe, Mrs. Guy Bracelin, Herb Gile. Lester Gleason, Marie Gleason, Clair Taylor, Christeen Gleason, Lawrence Taylor, Malen Wolf, Raslle Wolf, Florence Wolf. Iona Kline, Barbara Hughes, C.A. Tripp, E.A. Sharp, Elvin Tripp, Nettie Sharp, Nellie Tripp, Chas E. Tripp, N.B. Hughes, Harriet J. Hughes. John McNutt, Henry Rowe, Catherine Rowe, Lorna Rowe, Bonnabell Case, Trace Rowe, Stephen Case Blanche Case, Ancil McNutt. Henry Hamilton, Claud Wait, Corlan Wait, Vernon Wait, Dorothy Taylor, Anna St. Germain, Grace Schrimshaw, True Schrimshaw. Dora Kline, George Hedrick, Veta Hedrick, Mildred Taylor, Karl Kimpfle, Ann Walker, S. E. Kline, Sandy Sweet, Hattie Sweet. Mrs. Letha Thorpe, Dora Hamlin, Lillie Gilson, Wesley Marshall, Daisy Marshall, Ellen Louise Marshall, J.C. Marshall, Perry Johnson, Ellen Johnson, Jack Shepard, E.G. Bowers. Dollen Rowe, Fred McNutt, Tean McNutt, Carl Rowe, John Ball, Aubrey McNutt, Frank Rowe, Bella Rowe, George Wilcox. Jeanette Moore, Cora Kelly, Edith Parkes, Helen Kelly, Alma Richardson, J.E. Richardson, Elvin Richardson, M.H. Wilkenson, A. Welsh. Mary Wilcox, Fred Williams, Florence Williams, Chas Innels, Mina Innels, Jim Whiteman, Walter Ridley, Georgia Ridley, George Whiteman. Buelah Keeth, Edwin Arba Van Lester, Stanley Keith Van Lester, Carla Sweet, Hiram Richardson, Iva Sweet, Everett Van Lester, Myrtle Van Lester, Buelah Francis Van Lester. Raymond Smith, Blanch Werner, Anna Dodge, Ethel Smith, Valeska Smith, Mabel McNutt, Merril Sheckler, Geo. Crawford, Eva Crawford. Nellie Goodwin, Freeman Goodwin, Wm. Torrey, Wm. Barnett, Charley Taylor, Wm. Taylor, Celestie & Esther Siglar, Bessie Northous. Bernice Throop, Alberta Hamilton, Margaret Throop, Ann Schrimshaw, Beatrice V. Hamilton, Beulah Sprague, Blanche Sprague, Louise Ebert, Frank Ebert. Isabell Croft, Harry Croft, Bob Croft, George & Hellen & Gertrude & George Jr. Schultz, Harry Jr. & Lois Croft, Morris Taylor.

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1926

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Location of inscription:

on block

Number of quilt blocks:

48

Size of quilt blocks:

10-11 1/2"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Alternating with plain squares

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

1

How is the binding made?

Straight grain

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Tied or tufted

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Corcoran Gallery, Muskegon, MI, 1989; The Michigan Quilt Project: New Discoveries, exhibit, July 29-December 31, 2001, image only

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

12/15/2000, Karl Rowe

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

Made as a fundraiser for Ku Klux Klan. Donor's grandfather won and owned quilt. Passed on to donor by his aunt. One of the blocks has a redwork embroidered hooded KKK figure who is riding a horse and holding a cross. The KKK figure is stitched in black and red thread. It was made to raise money for the Chicora Ku Klux Klan. To get your name stitched onto a block you paid 10 cents. An individual would stitch the names on a given block for instance, my Aunt Grace Raveway did the block for our family. Grace was 16 years old at the time and was quite embarrassed to participate in the project, but she had the best script in the family and best sewing abilities, so she was chosen. The family story is that my Grandfather went to a meeting and left Grandma home sick. He won this quilt when it was raffled off. Aunt Marie Trip Rowe who stitched the block with her family's name on it, has given some information of various people whose names are stitched, where they lived and what they did. Grace Way says that each name holder paid $.10 to have their name stitched to a block. She was 16 years old at the time and quite embarrassed to do this project, she had the best script in the family and best sewing abilities so she was chosen. Aunt Marie Trip Rowe who stitched the block with her family's names on it has given some information of various people whose names are stitched, where they live and what they did.

Details

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Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

Mary Whalen

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum