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Ruby Bridges: What A Difference A School Makes

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5970

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:

12.0007

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

2012:107.1

Object label:

Ruby Bridges
Marion Coleman
Castro Valley, California
2006
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2012:107.1

Essay:

In 1960, when Ruby Nell Bridges Hall was six years old, her parents responded to a call from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and volunteered her to participate in the integration of the New Orleans School
system. She is known as the first African American child to attend an all-white elementary school in the South. Ruby Bridges still lives in New Orleans, now heads the Ruby Bridges Foundation, and is a regular guest speaker regarding her own story and the racial divide at universities, corporations, and civic groups.

Quilt's title:

Ruby Bridges: What A Difference A School Makes

Quilt top made by:

Coleman, Marion

Quilted by:

Coleman, Marion

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Castro Valley

Where the quilt was made, state:

California (CA)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2006

Why was the quilt made?

Art or personal expression

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Castro Valley

Quiltmaker's state:

California (CA)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

Quiltmaker's occupation:

Social worker, teaching artist, public artist

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

African American Quilt Guild of Oakland; Women of Color Quilters Network; Studio Art Quilt Associates

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

41 1/2"

How long is the quilt?

41 1/2"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Cream; Gray; Red

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Multiple Names; Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Printed on fabric and stitched to the quilt front are these phrases: “Segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of the law for the policy of segregating the races is usually interpreted as denoting inferiority of the Negro group. A sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the sanction of the law therefore has a tendency to [retard] the educational and mental development of Negro children and to deprive them of some of the benefits they would receive in a racially integrated school system.” “What A Difference A School Makes:, “Regional reaction: parents shout go home. We don’t want you.” “William Franz Elementary School, New Orleans, Louisiana November 1960” “Supreme Court of the United States Brown v. Board of Education May 17, 1954” “A Remarkable 6-year-old surviving day by day the end of segregation” “Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though physical facilities and other ‘tangible’ factors may be equal deprive the children on the minority group of equal education opportunities? We believe that it does.” Quilted in red thread: “Tessie Provost” “Gail Etienne” “Leonna Tate” “Mrs. Barbara Hershey teacher” “Marshall’s” “Ruby Bridges” “United States” Quilted in black thread, “Jim Crow” “family” “friends” “community” “programs” “coleman” “rulers” Quilted in white thread, “pencils” “integration” “courage” “books” “letters”

Describe the quilt's layout:

Medallion or framed center

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

Organza, Civil Rights stamps

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Applique

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

Fusing, thread writing, collage, machine stitching, free motion quilting.

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

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

Quilting designs used, background fills:

Meander

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

In 1960,when Ruby Nell Bridges Hall was six years old, her parents responded to a call from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and volunteered her to participate in the integration of the New Orleans School system. She is known as the first African American child to attend an all-white elementary school in the South. Ruby Bridges still lives in New Orleans, now heads the Ruby Bridges Foundation, and is a regular guest speaker regarding her own story and the racial divide at universities, corporations, and civic groups. RUBY BRIDGES ©2006 42” x 41.5” Ruby Bridges was created for a juried and judged international exhibit “She Made Her Mark” that was presented by The Quilters Hall of Fame and Fiberarts Connection of Southern California. Thelma Harris and Ann Calland were curators. The quilt won second place and was judged by Judge, Kathleen A. O'Connell Herron School of Art and Design Indianapolis, Indiana Herron School of Art and Design, Associate Professor Herron School of Art and Design, Visual Communications MFA from Syracuse University This is the statement from their exhibit brochure. In “Ruby Bridges” the viewer is introduced to the courage and persistence of a 6 year old girl who was chosen to integrate William Franz Public School in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1960. As a first grade student she faced hostile crowds and required the protection of United States Marshals to receive a first grade education. She had no interaction with other students in the school and relied on her teacher Mrs. Barbara Henry for learning and companionship. Ruby can be considered on the youngest civil rights advocates in the United States. The quilt exhibited at the Quilters Hall of Fame, 926 S. Washington Street, Marion, IN 46952 from March 6 through June 27, 2007. The quilt has exhibited in several venues and was part of the Kaunas Biennial 20l1 in the Personal Stories Rewind Exhibit at the M. Zalinskas Gallery of the National Museum of M.K. Ciurlionis, Kaunas Lithuania from September 21 through December 4, 2011. This quilt is important to me because I attended segregated schools in Texas. They were still segregated in 1964 when I graduated from high school. I was inspired by Ms. Bridges’ courage and used my sister’s image as a model for Ruby Bridges. Overall the quilt is important because it documents a unique aspect of the civil rights movement where even the youngest of us can make a difference. It is also important as a women’s rights story where every woman and child is entitled to a quality education as a doorway to great opportunity.

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

“She Made Her Mark”. Juried quilt exhibit at The Quilters’ Hall of Fame, Marion, IN, March 4 - June 25, 2007. “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

Cite this Quilt

Coleman, Mario. Ruby Bridges: What A Difference A School Makes. 2006. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project; Women of Color Quilters Network. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-5970. Accessed: 03/29/24

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