Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy
Freedom Quilting Bee was born as an outgrowth of the civil rights movement as a beacon of hope.
Don’t miss the Airing of the Quilts Festival! Click here to learn about all the exciting activities.
In 1966, local people in the Alberta and Gee’s Bend areas of Alabama were being evicted from their homes and losing their jobs after registering to vote. An Episcopal priest and civil rights worker named Father Francis X. Walter saw the many beautiful and unique quilts local women had created hanging on clotheslines in the area. He believed there was economic potential to these functional works of art. So, with the help of Father Walter, many volunteers and the strong leadership of Estelle Witherspoon, the Bee’s first president, Freedom Quilting Bee was established.
Our story is the story of the strength, artistry and resilience of African American women, who know they have the power to create their own future.
