How to See Slave Quilts
Some historians consider the oral tradition about slave quilts as unreliable. However there's research that corroborates the slave quilt by Tobin and Dobard, authors of "Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad." The theory is that slaves sewed various patterns into quilts as a way of communicating vital information to escaping slaves. Seventeen patterns are believed to have been used.
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Instructions
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Research the history of the Underground Railroad. Slaves were not allowed learn to read or write under penalty of law, and so alternate methods of communication were developed. Learn how messages were conveyed via hand-stitched quilts.
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Study the 17 quilt symbols that are believed to have conveyed messages. Read about the meaning of quilt patterns like the "monkey wrench," "drunkard's path," "flying geese," "wagon wheel" and "north star."
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Visit museums that display textile collections that include old quilts dating to the Civil War years. Look for the specific quilt symbols and the juxtaposition to other symbols that might convey a complete message. (See Resources)
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Note that the "broken dish" pattern indicated a destination where there was broken ceramics, such as a kiln or pottery shop. Look for the "sailboat" pattern, which directed runaway slaves to a body of water where a boat awaited them.
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Check out the "slave quilt" created by the quilting club of the National Security Administration in Washington, D.C. Study the arrangement of patterns in the quilt that tell a complete story. (See Resources)
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Visit the San Francisco Craft & Folk Art Museum and view Civil War era quilts that contain some of the quilt blocks believed to communicate with runaway slaves. Call ahead to make sure this rotating exhibit is on view.
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Make a trip to the Michigan State University Art Museum. See an "slave quilt" dating to 1862 as well as a single appliquéd quilt block stitched by a slave in 1860.
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