PIECES OF HISTORY: THE STORY OF GEE’S BEND

Family quilts are so amazing because they embody the spirit of family. Quilts created from scraps of used clothing spark stories about family history. What an onlooker sees as a patch of denim may be the story of how someone’s grandfather toiled in the fields, who he worked with, what they grew, who they married, what children they had. Oral histories are tied into quilts.

RAIL FENCE: FAMILY

Gee’s Bend quilts were made by people of one community passing the tradition from generation to generation. That is what makes the quilts unique. These quilts have been made by great-grandmothers, grandmothers, mothers and daughters and have stood the test of time. They are a testament to the strength of family and community.

The Gee’s Bend quilts that propelled the community to fame in the early 2000s were those quilts used in everyday life. These utilitarian quilts were created from