Since the early nineteenth century, the women of Gee's Bend in southern
Alabama have created stunning, vibrant quilts. In the only photo-essay
book about the quilts of Gee's Bend for children, award-winning author
Susan Goldman Rubin explores the history and culture of this fascinating
group of women and their unique quilting traditions. Rubin uses
meticulous research to offer an exclusive look at an important facet of
African American art and culture.
In the rural community of Gee's Bend, African American women have been
making quilts for generations. They use scraps of old overalls, aprons,
and bleached cornmeal sacks--anything they can find. Their traditions
have been passed down through the decades. Much to the women's surprise,
a selection of the quilts was featured in an exhibition at the Museum of
Fine Arts, Houston, in 2002. The exhibition then traveled to the Whitney
Museum in New York City. "Eye-poppingly gorgeous," wrote a critic for
the New York Times about the exhibition. He continued, "Some of the
most miraculous works of modern art America has produced." The
Metropolitan Museum of Art will exhibit its newly acquired collection of
Gee's Bend quilts in 2017.
Rubin is known for producing well-researched, highly praised, and
sophisticated biographies of artists and other important figures.
Through similar research, The Quilts of Gee's Bend shares specifics
about this rare community and its rich traditions, allowing children to
pause to consider history through the eyes of the people who lived it
and through a legacy that is passed on to the next generation.
This book should be of great interest to classrooms, libraries, and
those interested in African American art in the United States, in
addition to quilting, life in early emancipated colonies in the South,
and Gee's Bends importance in the Civil Right's movement. The quilts and
the incredible stories behind them are powerful motivators for anyone
who wishes to accomplish anything. A map, directions on how to make a
quilt square, endnotes, and an index round out this stunning nonfiction
book.
