QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-841

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

93.0119

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

2003:50.1

Object label:

View From the Mountain Top
Beverly Ann White
Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan
1991
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2003:50.1

Essay:

Beverly Ann White's quilt View from the Mountain Top was made to teach students, family, and friends about important heroes in African-American history. The quilt features appliquéd and embroidered portraits of Medgar Evers, Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, Frances E. W. Harper, Sojourner Truth, Mary McLeod Bethune, Frederick Douglass, Ralph Bunche, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. Dubois.

Of View from the Mountain Top, White says,
I cannot chronicle the brave and valiant fight of each and everyone of the honorable souls who have fought for the rights of African-Americans throughout the history of the United States; I can, however, attempt to show several of those heroes who have impressed me. May GOD and those who are not represented here forgive me and perhaps their souls will move other African-Americans to produce more and more quilts that will extol their efforts and keep the struggle alive to ensure the ultimate goal of equality for all.

White donated her quilts "View from the Mountain Top" and "Nelson Mandela" to the Michigan State University Museum in November 2003. The GLQC/MSU Museum's Michigan African American Quilt Collection includes over thirty-five quilts, as well as documentary materials, which reflect the wide range of individual styles and traditions found with the Michigan African-American quilting community. Quilts from this collection have been featured in the book, African American Quiltmaking in Michigan, edited by Marsha MacDowell (right) (Michigan State University Press, 1997).

Quilt's title:

View from the Mountain Top

Quilt top made by:

White, Beverly Ann

Quilted by:

White, Beverly Ann

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

Made the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Pontiac

Where the quilt was made, county:

Oakland

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt started?

July 1991

When was the quilt finished?

August 1993

Why was the quilt made?

Commemorative

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Pontiac

Quiltmaker's county:

Oakland

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Holt

Quiltmaker's birth date:

9/2/1943

In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?

Urban

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Afro-American; African American

Quiltmaker's educational background:

Some college

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

Protestant

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Self employed "Craftings by Beverly" Part time Medical records clerk

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Holt, Jr., Thomas

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

African-American

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Holt, Annie Lou

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

African-American

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Supervisor, Auto GMC

Number of children:

4

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

2

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

2

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

From Class

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 30-39

Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:

My "statement" quilts are made from pure emotion. I gave quilts for the birth of my nieces

Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:

5-20 quilts

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

82 1/2"

How long is the quilt?

48 1/2"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Beige or Tan; Black; Rust; White

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Beverly White February 10, 1993 View From the Mountain Top Dedicated in loving memory to: James E. Chaney Andrew Goodman Viola Liuzzo Michael H. Schwerner And all of the other valiant warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice. We shall never forget.

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the quilt's layout:

Pictorial

Number of quilt blocks:

11 blocks in 3 rows, they vary in size and are appliqued to the background

Size of quilt blocks:

range from 11" to 14" and are squares and rectangles with narrow borders of animal print, that are then appliqued to a whole cloth rust fabric.

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

2 1/2"

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton; Cotton or polyester blend; Linen

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

Ties used as neck ties

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Piecing

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Embellishments used:

Cotton thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

1

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Straight grain; Front turned to back

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

half inch - one inch

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Blanket or flannel

How thick is the quilt?

Thin (Less than 3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

6

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

5

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Single parallel lines

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Parallel lines

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

The people on the face of this quilt are people I have admired. They have made an impression on me. Whether by actions and-or literature. The dedication on this quilt was made to slain civil rights workers which I describe as warriors for the cause of freedom and equality. "I cannot chronicle the brave and valiant fight of each and every one of the honorable souls who have fought for the rights of African-Americans throughout the history of the United States; I can, however, attempt to show several of those heroes who have impressed me. May GOD and those who are not represented here forgive me and perhaps their souls will move other African-Americans to produce more and more quilts that will extol their efforts and keep the struggle alive to ensure the ultimate goal of equality for all." White made this quilt to teach students, family, and friends about important heroes in African-American history. The quilt features appliqued and embroidered portraits of Medgar Evers, Thrugood Marshall, Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, Frances E.W. Harper, Sojourner Truth, Mary McLeod Bethune, Frederick Douglass, Ralph Bunche, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. Dubois.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Describe the source of the pattern:

The people on the face of this quilt are people I have admired. They have made an impression on me. Whether by actions and-or literature. The dedication on this quilt was made to slain civil rights workers which I describe as warriors for the cause of fre

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Quilts and Human Rights, MSU Museum, January 15 - August 24, 2008

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

African American Quiltmaking in Michigan (1997) book, figure 34 p. 30.

Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:

Patterns; Templates; Photos of quilter; Audiotape Interview with quilter

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?

Made by owner

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Donation, 11/3/2003, Beverly Ann White

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?

Made entire quilt

If the source helped design the quilt, describe their input:

Designed the pattern

The quilt was made to be used for:

Artwork/wall hanging

Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:

100% cotton (top); 80-20 batting; 100% cotton backing; quilting thread, cotton wrapped poly. Mostly lap quilting but just bought a Flynn frame.

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum