Original TARGET:
I have a teacher looking for reliable websites with information about the
Underground Railroad and whether coded quilts were really used or if this is a nice
story without historical backing.
Thanks to all who responded! Here is a HIT with the responses I received (I
included responses that were posted to the listserv - my county's spam filter
appeared to catch the messages with web links):
- I can't point you to a website that will give you a definitive answer, though you
will get many hits if you search. What I can tell you is that my mother's friend
has a wedding quilt that documents the connections between a group of
abolitionists, and by tracing the family names and researching the people she has
found quite a bit of information about the families and their endeavors. She is in
the process of writing a book that will be published by the University of Chicago
(I think) in the near future. there is a quilt museum that will be showing her
quilt once the book is published. I'm not sure what the actual name of the museum
is (there can't be too many,) maybe their website would have the information you
need. I don't know if that helps any...
- A book that i would recommend is "Show Way" by Jacqueline Woodson that talks
about how quilts were used throughout history. The illustrations are wonderful
- I have underground railroad links here.
http://www.deweybrowse.org/underground.htm
- http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/URMUSEUM.HTM
http://www.freedomcenter.org/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/j1.html
- This is just a nice story, nothing more. However there are a number of Civil War
era quilt bocks, quilts etc. that are interesting.
http://www.ugrrquilt.hartcottagequilts.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quilts_of_the_Underground_Railroad
http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/abolitionist.htm
- I took a NIH course 2 summers ago, and they insisted that the use of the quilts
were legend but I really like the idea as well. The instructor's name was Matt
Pinksker at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.
http://www.dickinson.edu/departments/hist/NEHworkshops/NEH/resource/ugrrDocs.htm
http://www.dickinson.edu/departments/hist/NEHworkshops/NEH/resource/webguide.htm
This is a really excellent group of websites. Take a look The Valley of the Shadow
especially.
- Nat Geo has a nice explanation -
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0205_040205_slavequilts.html
- I am a quilter. It is a nice story - just not true. There would be quilts still
around. They would be treasured family mementos. There are none that I am aware
of.
- You might want to check out this site:
http://ugrrquilt.hartcottagequilts.com/QuiltCodeFAQs.pdf I seem to remember reading
(about a year ago) an article that said they couldn't find any written evidence
that the code existed. Slaves couldn't necessarily write, so didn't keep journals,
etc. about quilts. Also, the free individuals who would have helped runaway slaves
didn't write anything down for fear of being caught. I wish I could remember that
source.
- I'm a quilter, like Lisa. And from my research and conversations with our FACS
(Family & Consumer Science teacher), historians cannot find any WRITTEN
corroboration about quilts being used signals. Families who were helping runaways
didn't write anything down in journals or diaries for fear of being found out. Or
having the items fall into the wrong hands if their homes were searched. And many
of the runaways could not read or write to leave a record themselves.
Virginia Shaddix Crutchfield
Woodland Elementary School
Semora, North Carolina
crutchfield at person . k12 . nc . us
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/
* LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
* LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home