QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5969

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project; Women of Color Quilters Network

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

12.0006

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

2012:106.2

Object label:

The Bus Ride That Paved theWay
Carolyn Crump
Houston,Texas
2011
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2012:106.2

Essay:

On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Park sat down in an empty seat in the front of the bus, resting her tired feet. In that catalytic moment in the struggle for justice for all of us, did she pray for strength from past trailblazers or envision a future president she would not live to meet? Rosa’s words anchor the lower right hand side of the quilt. As she rides deep in thought, a slave quilt hangs in the window behind her. African American leaders from Harriet Tubman and Thurgood Marshall to Michelle and Barack Obama bow their heads in honor of her ride. In her autobiography, Rosa Park denies that she was tired on the fateful day. She wrote that she was “ just tired of giving in,” and that someone had to take the first step in the struggle for justice for all Americans. Rosa Park died in 2005, three years before Barack Obama was elected president of the United States.

-- Carolyn Crump

Quilt's title:

The Bus Ride That Paved The Way

Quilt top made by:

Crump, Carolyn

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Houston

Where the quilt was made, state:

Texas (TX)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2011

Why was the quilt made?

Art or personal expression

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Houston

Quiltmaker's state:

Texas (TX)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

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

For Carolyn Crump, a quilt is not a bed spread - it’s a canvas. She creates multi-medium quilts and uses them as a means to tell stimulating stories that defy common boundaries. Born in Detroit, Crump left to pursue the fine arts. Working with a plethora of mediums, Crump defines multi-talented.

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

48 3/4"

How long is the quilt?

42"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Beige or Tan; Blue; Green; Red

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

“Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others.”

Describe the quilt's layout:

Medallion or framed center

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:

Machine Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Painting

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Straight grain; Back turned to front; Edges turned in/ no separate binding

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cannot tell

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting; Stuffed work

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Meander

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

The figures are painted, backed and quilted independently, then put together to add to the 3-D effect. Artist statement: THE BUS RIDE THAT PAVED THE WAY Rosa Park envisioned others as part of the struggle for all of us in the fight against injustices. The tired feet, the empty seat in the front of the bus, was enough for her to take a seat orchestrating a change that would be experienced by all of humanity. Cotton Fabric, Cotton Thread, Felt, Cotton Batting, Ink, Markers, Pencil, Colored Pencil, Dye, Acrylic, Transfer, Vinyl, Hemp Cord 1. Rosa Parks 2. Harriet Tubman 3. Thurgood Marshall 4. First Lady Michelle Obama 5. President Obama 6. Quote by Rosa Parks 7. Slave Quilt 8. Old House 9. The White House 10. The Bus

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

“Patterns of Inquiry.” Michigan State University Museum, June 3 - September 23, 2012.

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)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees