Slavery, Quilts, & Communication in African American History highlight the important role that quilting workshops played in the lives of those involved with the Underground Railroad. These workshops not only served as a means of artistic expression but also incorporated underground railroad quilt codes, which were essential for communication and navigation during this challenging period.
When a slave owner was pursuing a runaway slave and lost sight of him, he claimed that the slave had vanished on the "Underground Railroad." Thus, the concept of the Underground Railroad as a passage to freedom for escaped slaves emerged. Rather than a physical track or designated route, the Underground Railroad was a network of abolitionists and safe houses that assisted slaves in escaping from southern plantations to the north, particularly Ohio and Canada. The safe houses along the way were known as "Stations," those who guided the escapees were called "Conductors," and the runaways were referred to as "Passengers."
One of the most critical components of the Underground Railroad was secrecy. During the 20th century, stories surfaced about African American quilts used during the mid-1800s. Historians debate the validity of the idea that these quilts contained encoded messages. Some researchers suggest that the quilts were displayed on clotheslines or fences in plain sight of both slaves and slave owners, with messages concealed from everyone except those who understood the code. At least fourteen different patterns, utilizing various combinations of geometric shapes, abstract designs, bold colors, and stitches, were employed in the secret quilt codes, many of which are still utilized by modern quilters today. See the sampler pictured above.
My presentation includes a display of the blocks of the Underground Railroad Quilt Codes, which were part of the oral history shared by Ozella McDaniel Williams*, a descendant of slaves, with the authors of the book, Hidden in Plain View. Ms. McDaniel’s narratives support the accounts passed down by our ancestors and emphasize the significance of kinship and oral history that have been preserved within families for generations. Additionally, these stories highlight the role that quilting workshops play in preserving African American history and culture.
*Tobin, Jacqueline I. & Raymond G. Dobard, PH.D.
Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of
Quilts and the Underground Railroad.
Anchor Books, New York, NY. 1999.
Woman presenting a colorful quilt while a man holds it up indoors.
Dr. Blanche S. Brownley is a retired mathematics educator who worked in the District of Columbia Public Schools in various roles, from a middle school mathematics teacher to the K-12 mathematics director. In addition to her teaching career, Dr. Brownley served as an adjunct professor at American, Howard, and Trinity Washington Universities, where she taught mathematics and research methods courses. Taking on leadership positions with the National and District of Columbia Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Council of Basic Education, and Pearson Publishing Company, she has facilitated teacher training and professional development sessions across the globe and throughout the United States. Her involvement with the Sandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art Gallery in Sandy Spring, Maryland, has inspired her to delve deeper into African American History, enriching her role as a docent at the museum. Dr. Brownley is particularly enthusiastic about engaging with students through school field trips and offering programs that include topics such as quilting workshops, which explore the significance of Underground Railroad quilt codes. As a member of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) and the Montgomery County chapter, she actively participates in preserving and sharing this vital history. As a proud Washingtonian, Dr. Brownley’s family roots trace back to St. Mary’s County, MD, and Caroline County, Virginia.
Underground Railroad Quilt Codes: History or Mystery?
Goals: Explore the role of Oral History, Quilt Codes, and the importance of this generation documenting our oral history, particularly within the context of African American History.
Presentation Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to identify the role of quilting and the quilt codes during slavery, the Underground Railroad, and African American History in the late 19th and early 20th century.
2. Participants will understand the role of oral history, how it impacts us today, and can shape our future.
Presentation Summary: Dr. Brownley will share her journey as a beginning quilter and how discovering new quilt patterns led her to explore the Quilt Codes of the Underground Railroad. During her research, she found that this significant aspect of the Underground Railroad has been examined by some, yet still dismissed as fabricated stories by certain historians. Were quilts truly used to aid escaping slaves? Her presentation will review her investigation into the history of quilting from Africa to America, the meaning of the quilt codes, and how these codes are intricately linked to various aspects of the Underground Railroad and our ancestors’ quest for freedom. Additionally, she will discuss what African Americans must do to ensure that our story, including the legacy of quilt codes, cannot be relegated to myth and folklore, as has been done in some cases.
An enslaved woman completing a quilt featuring the Monkey Wrench Quilt Block illustrates a significant aspect of African American History. This project was completed in April 2020 as part of a doll making class at Montgomery College, which is one of the many Quilting Workshops that explore themes like the Underground Railroad Quilt Codes.