In 2021 I was a Creative Greensboro: Catalyzing Creativity Grant winner and had the opportunity to highlight the beauty of fiber arts in Guilford County. I believed that the cultural significance of the arts could never be downplayed when considering the many meaningful contributions that came from creative endeavors. The written word, along with the creativity and craftsmanship found in textiles and sewing, were two art forms that were sometimes taken for granted. Through this project, I sought to highlight the cultural, historical, and personal significance of these art forms, particularly within the African American community.

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     Alice Walker’s short story Everyday Use served as the catalyst for this project. In Walker’s story, two sisters disagreed over a family quilt that was intended for one of them. The conflict surrounding the quilt highlighted several important themes that I sought to explore through this program: (1) the importance of passing family traditions and skills from one generation to the next, (2) the importance of storytelling within family and community life, and (3) the importance of how we assigned value to people, objects, and experiences based on their cultural and personal significance rather than their monetary worth. Inspired by Walker’s story and by the beauty and history of textile arts, I developed this program to engage the Greensboro community through literature, storytelling, and quilting. Through these activities, I created opportunities for community members of different ages to learn, participate, and reflect on the cultural traditions that connected us. The program focused on three primary goals:

1. Exploring storytelling in the African American community through literature and textile arts. I provided an opportunity for community members to participate in a panel discussion featuring English professors and quilting professionals from the Greensboro area. The discussion explored the ways literature, quilting, and storytelling preserved family histories, cultural traditions, and community experiences.
    

2. Introducing children and young adults to the history of textile arts in the African American community. I offered a two-part quilting class designed to introduce young participants to the history, cultural significance, and creative practices associated with quilting. The class was limited to 12 participants, which allowed for meaningful instruction and hands-on interaction with the instructor.
    

3. Highlighting the continued importance of textile arts within the Greensboro community. I collaborated with NC A&T’s University Galleries to create an exhibit featuring quilts created by local quilters. Local artists were invited to submit their quilts for inclusion in the exhibit, providing them with an opportunity to share the stories, experiences, and traditions represented in their work.
    

Through this program, I demonstrated that quilts and other forms of textile art were more than decorative objects. They served as historical records, expressions of identity, forms of storytelling, and tangible connections between generations. By bringing literature and textile arts together, I encouraged the Greensboro community to recognize, celebrate, and preserve the cultural stories and traditions woven into these creative practices. Below are links to the panel discussion featuring faculty from the NC A&T English Department and a mini documentary discussing African Wax Print. 

Everyday Use: Panel Discussion

Ancestral Memory and African American Textile Arts: Mini Documentary