QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-1060

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

00.0651

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

2000:67.2

Object label:

Voices of Freedom
Deonna Todd Green
Remus, Mecosta County, Michigan
1992
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2000:67.2

Essay:

Each of the 49 blocks in this quilt is devoted to a different figure important in African-American history and includes an embroidered portrait, the person's name, their birth/death date, and a note about their accomplishment. The embroidery is in green, red, and black embroidery floss—the colors of the Pan African Flag. This flag originally created as the official banner of the African Race by the members of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and African Communities League. It was formally adopted by UNIA in article 39 of the Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World on August 13, 1920 during their convention held in New York City. The flag and the colors became an African nationalist symbol for the liberation of African people everywhere.

The blocks are as follows, reading left to right:
Row 1: 1. in green thread, "Benjamin Banneker 1731 1806 Astrologer Designer-Washington D.C." 2. in black thread, "Prince Hall 1735 1807 First African Masonic Lodge-Number 459" 3. in red thread, "Phillis Weatherly 1753 1784 Poet" 4. in green thread, "Paul Cuffe 1759-1817 Massachusetts Merchant Provided Funds to Educate Black Children" 5. in black thread, "Richard Allen 1760 1831 Founder of the Free African Society" 6. in red thread, "Crispus Attucks ? 1770 Martyr of the American Revolution" 7. in green thread, "Sojourner Truth 1797 1883 Abolitionist 'The Black Joan of Ark' "
Row 2: 8. in black thread "James Beckworth 1788 1897 Chief of the Crow Tribe" 9. in red thread, the name is in block letters, there is no portrait "Nat Turner 1800 1831 Abolitionist" 10. in green thread, "Norbert Rillieux 1806 1894 Inventor Sugar Industry" 11. in black thread, "Frederick Douglass 1817 1895 Abolitionist-Editor-Author-Politician" 12. in red thread, "Harriet Tubman 1826 1913 'Moses' to Her People" 13. in green thread, "William Lamber Detroit Merchant Helped Slaves Cross Into Canada" 14. in black thread, "Robert Smalls 1834 1915 Civil Rights Pioneer"
Row 3: 15. in red thread, "Lewis Latimer 1848 1928 Inventor of the Incandescent Light" 16. in green thread, "Jan Matzeliger 1852 1889 Inventor Shoe Manufacturing Industry" 17. in black thread, "Booker T. Washington 1856 1915 Educator" 18. in red thread, "Granville T. Woods 1856 1910 Inventor of the Automatic Air Brake" 19. in green thread, "Dr. Daniel Hale Williams 1858 1931 First Successful Open Heart Surgery" 20. in black thread, "George Washington Carver 1864 1943 Inventor of 300 Uses for the Peanut" 21. in red thread, "Matthew Henson 1867 1955 Explorer"
Row 4: 22. in green thread, "W.E.B. DuBois 1868 1963 Founder of the N.A.A.C.P." 23. in black thread, "Paul Laurence Dunbar 1872 1906 Poet" 24. in red thread, "W.C. Handy 1873 1958 'The Father of the Blues' " 25. Embroidered map of Africa in black, gold, red. In thick green letters "Black Pioneers The Voices of Freedom" 26. in black thread, "Mary McLeord Bethune 1875 1955 Teacher" 27. in red thread, "charles H. Huston 1895 Lawyer-Educator First Official Counsel of the N.A.A.C.P." 28. in green thread, "Lanston Hughes 1902 1967 Poet"
Row 5: 29. in black thread, "Marion Anderson 1902 Professional Solist" 30. in red thread, "Dr. Charles Drew 1904 1950 Changed Blood Into Plasma" 31. in green thread, "Dr. Ralph Bunche 1904 1971 United Nations Staff" 32. in black thread, "Robert C. Weaver 1907 Member of the Black Cabinet 33. in red thread, "Thurgood Marshall 1908 1993 Supreme Court Justice" 34. in green thread, "Benjamin O'Davis Jr. 1912 Lieutenant General" 35. in black thread, "Rosa Parks 1913 Civil Rights Pioneer Bus Boycott- Dec. 5, 1955"
Row 6: 36. in red thread, "John Hope Franklin 1915 Historian" 37. in green thread, "Nelson Mandela 1918 Leader of the African National Congress" 38. in black thread, "Edward William Brooke 1919 Senator" 39. in red thread, "James Baldwin 1924 1987 Novelist 'Go Tell It to the Mountain' " 40. in green thread, "Shirley Chisholm 1925 U.S. Congress" 41. in black thread, "Carl T. Rowan 1925 Journalist Nationali Security Council" 42. in red thread, "Malcolm X 1925 1965 Civil Rights Activist"
Row 7: 43. in green thread, "Dick Gregory Poet-Activist" 44. in black thread, "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1929 1968 'I Have a Dream' " 45. in red thread, "Gen. Colin Powell 1937 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff" 46. in green thread, "Rev. Jesse Jackson 1941 Southern Christian Leadership Conference" 47. in black thread, "Clarence Thomas Supreme Court Justice" 48. in red thread, "Guy Bluford 1942 First Black Man in Space" 49. in green thread, "Dr. Mae Jemison 1956 First Black Woman In Space"

Quilt's title:

Voices of Freedom

Biography of the quiltmaker?

Deonna Todd Green, assisted by her mother and other relatives, continues to devote hours to researching her family genealogy, collecting family photographs and documents, and gathering family stories. Quests for information have taken them to local, state, and national archives in Lansing and Detroit, Michigan; Washington; Maryland; and Kentucky. I make quilts for Christmas for three of my aunts. I made a quilt for our Minister and his wife.

Quilt top made by:

Green, Deonna

Quilted by:

Green, Deonna

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Remus

Where the quilt was made, county:

Mecosta

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt finished?

1992

Why was the quilt made?

Commemorative

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Remus

Quiltmaker's county:

Mecosta

Quiltmaker's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quiltmaker's maiden name:

Todd

Quiltmaker's birth date:

6/23/1948

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

Quiltmaker's educational background:

High School Diploma

Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:

Prodestant Church of Christ

Quiltmaker's occupation:

housewife

Quiltmaker's father's name:

Todd, Marshall

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

African American

Quiltmaker's mother's name:

Todd, Ione Sawyer

Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:

African American

Quiltmaker's marriage date(s):

6/4/1966

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):

Green, Grant O.

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:

African American German

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

Maintenance Gas Company

Number of children:

4

How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?

1

How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?

3

How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Self-Taught

When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?

Age 30-39

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Does/did the quiltmaker teach quilting?

yes

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Todd Family

What are the main activities of the group?

Deonna Todd Green, assisted by her mother and other relatives, continues to devote hours to researching her family genealogy, collecting family photographs and documents, and gathering family stories. Quests for information have taken them to local, state

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

48"

How long is the quilt?

48"

Shape of edge:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Yellow; White

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

What is inscribed on the quilt?

The quilt depicts important figures in African-American history. Each block is devoted to a different figure, with an embroidered portrait, the person's name, their date of birth/death, and their accomplishement. The embroidery is in green, red, and black embroidery floss. The background fabric is off-white. The blocks are as follows, reading left to right: Row 1: 1. in green thread, "Benjamin Banneker 1731 1806 Astrologer Designer-Washington D.C." 2. in black thread, "Prince Hall 1735 1807 First African Masonic Lodge-Number 459" 3. in red thread, "Phillis Weatherly 1753 1784 Poet" 4. in green thread, "Paul Cuffe 1759-1817 Massachusetts Merchant Provided Funds to Educate Black Children" 5. in black thread, "Richard Allen 1760 1831 Founder of the Free African Society" 6. in red thread, "Crispus Attucks ? 1770 Martyr of the American Revolution" 7. in green thread, "Sojourner Truth 1797 1883 Abolitionist 'The Black Joan of Ark' " Row 2: 8. in black thread "James Beckworth 1788 1897 Chief of the Crow Tribe" 9. in red thread, the name is in block letters, there is no portrait "Nat Turner 1800 1831 Abolitionist" 10. in green thread, "Norbert Rillieux 1806 1894 Inventor Sugar Industry" 11. in black thread, "Frederick Douglass 1817 1895 Abolitionist-Editor-Author-Politician" 12. in red thread, "Harriet Tubman 1826 1913 'Moses' to Her People" 13. in green thread, "William Lamber Detroit Merchant Helped Slaves Cross Into Canada" 14. in black thread, "Robert Smalls 1834 1915 Civil Rights Pioneer" Row 3: 15. in red thread, "Lewis Latimer 1848 1928 Inventor of the Incandescent Light" 16. in green thread, "Jan Matzeliger 1852 1889 Inventor Shoe Manufacturing Industry" 17. in black thread, "Booker T. Washington 1856 1915 Educator" 18. in red thread, "Granville T. Woods 1856 1910 Inventor of the Automatic Air Brake" 19. in green thread, "Dr. Daniel Hale Williams 1858 1931 First Successful Open Heart Surgery" 20. in black thread, "George Washington Carver 1864 1943 Inventor of 300 Uses for the Peanut" 21. in red thread, "Matthew Henson 1867 1955 Explorer" Row 4: 22. in green thread, "W.E.B. DuBois 1868 1963 Founder of the N.A.A.C.P." 23. in black thread, "Paul Laurence Dunbar 1872 1906 Poet" 24. in red thread, "W.C. Handy 1873 1958 'The Father of the Blues' " 25. Embroidered map of Africa in black, gold, red. In thick green letters "Black Pioneers The Voices of Freedom" 26. in black thread, "Mary McLeord Bethune 1875 1955 Teacher" 27. in red thread, "charles H. Huston 1895 Lawyer-Educator First Official Counsel of the N.A.A.C.P." 28. in green thread, "Lanston Hughes 1902 1967 Poet" Row 5: 29. in black thread, "Marion Anderson 1902 Professional Solist" 30. in red thread, "Dr. Charles Drew 1904 1950 Changed Blood Into Plasma" 31. in green thread, "Dr. Ralph Bunche 1904 1971 United Nations Staff" 32. in black thread, "Robert C. Weaver 1907 Member of the Black Cabinet 33. in red thread, "Thurgood Marshall 1908 1993 Supreme Court Justice" 34. in green thread, "Benjamin O'Davis Jr. 1912 Lieutenant General" 35. in black thread, "Rosa Parks 1913 Civil Rights Pioneer Bus Boycott- Dec. 5, 1955" Row 6: 36. in red thread, "John Hope Franklin 1915 Historian" 37. in green thread, "Nelson Mandela 1918 Leader of the African National Congress" 38. in black thread, "Edward William Brooke 1919 Senator" 39. in red thread, "James Baldwin 1924 1987 Novelist 'Go Tell It to the Mountain' " 40. in green thread, "Shirley Chisholm 1925 U.S. Congress" 41. in black thread, "Carl T. Rowan 1925 Journalist Nationali Security Council" 42. in red thread, "Malcolm X 1925 1965 Civil Rights Activist" Row 7: 43. in green thread, "Dick Gregory Poet-Activist" 44. in black thread, "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1929 1968 'I Have a Dream' " 45. in red thread, "Gen. Colin Powell 1937 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff" 46. in green thread, "Rev. Jesse Jackson 1941 Southern Christian Leadership Conference" 47. in black thread, "Clarence Thomas Supreme Court Justice" 48. in red thread, "Guy Bluford 1942 First Black Man in Space" 49. in green thread, "Dr. Mae Jemison 1956 First Black Woman In Space"

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Describe the quilt's layout:

Pictorial

Number of quilt blocks:

49

Size of quilt blocks:

6" x 6"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by plain sashing

Sashing width:

1"

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Fabric styles used in the quilt top:

Solid/plain

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

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

Fabric structure of the binding:

Plain weave

How is the binding made?

Front turned to back

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

less than a half inch

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How thick is the quilt?

Medium (3/16?)

How are the layers held together?

Hand quilting

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:

5

Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:

6

Can you see any knots on the front or back of the quilt?

no

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Outline

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

Each of the 49 blocks in this quilt is devoted to a different figure important in African-American history and includes an embroidered portrait, the person's name, their birth/death date, and a note about their accomplishment. The embroidery is in green, red, and black embroidery floss - the colors of the Pan African Flag. This flag was originally created by the members of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and African Communities League as the official banner of the African Race. It was formally adopted by UNIA in article 39 of the Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World on August 13, 1920, during their convention held in New York City. The flag and the colors became an African nationalist symbol for the liberation of African peoples everywhere.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Quilts and Human Rights, Michigan State University Museum, January 15 - August 24, 2008

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?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

11/2000, Deonna Todd Green

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 unique traditions, quilting related customs, beliefs, songs or rhymes used by the quiltmaker:

When I was a small girl - church women embroidered their names on the quilt and pieced it together, Don't remember the food.

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum