Quilting with Tangular Irby

Earlier this August in collaboration with Possible Futures Bookstore, the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance and Abolition  hosted an open community event with author and educator Tangular Irby, a descendant of the Gee’s Bend quiltmakers, for an evening dedicated to storytelling and celebrating Black women’s artistry. 

Gee’s Bend is a small historically isolated Black community descended from enslaved Africans in the 19th century. In recent years, Gee’s Bend quilts have risen to national recognition in the art world, celebrated for their unique and beautiful compositions. Drawing from her family legacy, Irby shared

 how such quilts have been passed down over generations and served as both domestic objects and vital sources of ancestral memory. In order to commemorate this rich history and pass it on to future generations, Irby wrote the children’s book Pearl and Her Gee's Bend Quilt, which all participants received their own copy of to share with their own families and communities. 

Following the discussion, attendees had the opportunity to try their hand at quiltmaking, designing their own patterns! The evening was deeply resonant, inspiring some to look further into their own family histories and consider developing their own quiltmaking skills. Irby reminded that all families have stories to offer, something special to them that reflects their history. 

It was also a pleasure to welcome alumni of our past two Yale and Slavery Teachers Institute to the event. 

Much thanks to Possible Futures Bookstore which continues to serve as such a valuable space for programming that connects culture, storytelling, and underrepresented history! 
 

Look forward to more GLC Teachers Corner events and see pictures below.