This historical presentation, Pre-Civil War Quilts: Secret Codes to Freedom on the Underground Railroad™, Includes storytelling, and display of over a dozen beautifully hand-crafted quilt replicas, representing patterns and special stitching used over 300 years ago by abolitionists and fugitive slaves to signify escape routes to the North. It shows how quilts were used to signal plans, warn of dangers, indicate how transport might occur, or who might help as “Friends” on the Underground Railroad. Her lecture is based upon her mother’s book, Lizzie’s Story: A Slave Family’s Journey to Freedom, by Dr. Clarice Boswell.

Connie tells the fascinating family stories of how these quilt codes were kept and used by her ancestors. You will learn the code meanings and interpretations that have been passed down to her; a 6th generation descendant of captured African slaves. She mesmerizes the audience with her visually stunning slides showing each quilt code within vibrant, fabric, quilt patterns along with instances of special stitching used in over a dozen beautifully hand-crafted quilt replicas; each sewn by her mother for this presentation.

“Sometimes a quilt is just a quilt, other times it has hidden messages that helped freedom seekers escape to the North.”