QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5284

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Cuesta Benberry Collection

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

08.0101

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

2008:119.41

Object label:

Mammy
Irene Edmondson, Jeannie Dunphy, Tennesse, top
Betty Johnson, California, quilter
Lawrence, Kansas
1930s, top; 1981, quilting
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2008:119.41

Essay:

Several names, including "Mammy" and "Aunt Jemima,” have been given to this quilt. Cuesta was never been able to document the provenance and history of this quilt pattern. She believed, however that no African-American person made this quilt.

Cuesta, like the MSU Museum, was interested in collecting all aspects of quiltmaking, even when the quilts or other objects are offensive racial and ethnic stereotypes. These quilts and other materials document that racism and ethnic stereotypes have occurred throughout history.

By Mary Worrall, from the exhibit Unpacking Collections: the Legacy of Cuesta Benberry, An African American Quilt Scholar.

Quilt's title:

Mammy

When was the form filled out?

4/22/08

Quilt top made by:

Edumndson, Irene; Dunphy, Jennie

Quilted by:

Johnson, Betty

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

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, state:

Tennessee (TN)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

1976-1999

When was the quilt started?

c1930

When was the quilt finished?

1981

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's state:

Tennessee (TN)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

83 1/2"

How long is the quilt?

99"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Brown; Cream; Green; Maroon; Yellow

Quilt's condition:

Very good/almost new

Describe the damage:

Brown stain on one block and adjacent sashing on front.

Type of inscription:

Date; Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Irene Edmondson and Jennie Dunphy pieced this top from 1930-1940; Betty Johnson quilted in 1981. Embroidered on back: "Pieced ca 1930-1940 Irene Edmondson & Jennie Dunphy Assembled & quilted 1981 Betty Johnson." Mammy/Aunt Jemima Irene Edmondson Jeannie Dunphy Betty Johnson

Method used to make the inscription:

Attached label

Location of inscription:

on back

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

20

Size of quilt blocks:

16 1/2" x 16 1/2"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by pieced pattern sashing

Sashing width:

triple strips maroon, mint green, and maroon

Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:

1

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

1 1/4"

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

What color is the back of the quilt?

Cream

Describe the back:

Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain

How is the binding made?

Edges turned in/ no separate binding

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton or polyester blend

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:

5

Width between quilting lines:

2"

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Outline; Single parallel lines

Describe the quilting designs used:

double chain around the blocks, in sashing and borders

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

The figures are wearing red calico dresses and have red head wraps. Arms, faces, and feet are appiqued in brown. The faced of the appliqued figures include: embroidered eyes and mouth. The eyes are satin-stitch embroidered in white and black, making the eyes appear to look to the side. Betty Johnson of California bought this quilt top from a relative of the maker in Tennessee. Several names have been given to this quilt: "Mammy," "Jemima," etc. However, Mrs. Benberry has never been able to document the provenance and history of this quilt pattern. She believes, however that no African-American person made this quilt. Yvonne Porcella later found a similar block in an antiques shop and gave it to Mrs. Benberry. Irene Edmundson and Jennie Dunphy were sisters. Notations: color choice in this quilt is striking. Red is universally appealing and the maker used red as an accent color in this quilt-the dresses of each figure and also the dark red used in the sashing strips create a visually appealing design.

Source of the information on this quilt:

MSU 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)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

This quilt was collected by Cuesta Benberry to further her research on quiltmaking and/or African American quiltmaking. Her son donated the collection to the Michigan State University Museum when she passed away in 2007.

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees