congressional_record: CREC-2026-10-01-pt1-PgE1009-4
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| granule_id | date | congress | session | volume | issue | title | chamber | granule_class | sub_granule_class | page_start | page_end | speakers | bills | citation | full_text |
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| CREC-2026-10-01-pt1-PgE1009-4 | 2026-10-01 | 119 | 2 | 172 | 156 | HONORING THE ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GEE'S BEND QUILTMAKERS | HOUSE | EXTENSIONS | HONORING | E1009 | E1010 | [{"name": "Terri A. Sewell", "role": "speaking"}] | 172 Cong. Rec. E1009 | Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 156 (Thursday, October 1, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 156 (Thursday, October 1, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E1009-E1010] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING THE ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GEE'S BEND QUILTMAKERS ______ HON. TERRI A. SEWELL of alabama in the house of representatives Thursday, October 1, 2026 Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary women of Gee's Bend, Alabama, whose remarkable quiltmaking tradition has become an enduring part of our Nation's artistic and cultural heritage. The rich tradition of quiltmaking in Gee's Bend dates back to the 19th century, born out of a need to keep warm in unheated homes during the winter months. Using worn clothing, discarded textiles, flour and feed sacks, and other available materials, the women of Gee's Bend created quilts that provided warmth and comfort while carrying the stories of their families and community. The practice of reusing old materials often resulted in bold colors, inventive compositions, asymmetry, and improvisational designs. Known locally as ``my way'' quilts, many Gee's Bend quiltmakers start with basic forms and then follow their own individual artistic paths (``their way'') to create unexpected patterns, shapes, and colors. This unique aesthetic tradition was passed from generation to generation, enduring through slavery, the antebellum South, and Jim Crow, and continues to be used by the quilters of Gee's Bend today. The quilts of Gee's Bend not only provided warmth, they created economic independence for the women of Wilcox County, in 1966, more than 60 quilters from Gee's Bend, Alberta, and surrounding communities met in Camden's Antioch Baptist Church to found the Freedom Quilting Bee (FBQ). As one of the few Black women's cooperatives in the United States, the Freedom Quilting Bee quickly grew into a robust organization, landing contracts with New York decorators and Bloomindale's to produce made-to order quilts, helping to inspire a national revival of interest in patchwork. Three years later, in 1969, the Freedom Quilting Bee built a 4,500- square-foot sewing center, allowing it to expand its offerings to include direct-to-consumer sales. The new building also allowed the Freedom Quilting Bee to extend and offer its members and surrounding communities other tyles of services, such as daycare, an after-school tutoring program, and a summer reading program. At its height, the Freedom Quilting Bee had 150 members, making it one of the largest employers in the area. While the women of Gee's Bend began quilting in the 19th century out of a physical need for warmth, their craft reinvented an artform and their work has come to be recognized more broadly as one of the most significant artistic contributions to American art history. Today, Gee's Bend quilts are in the permanent collections of over 40 museums on three continents. Yet their importance cannot be measured solely by their place in galleries or museums. These quilts remain deeply connected to the people, families, and communities of the Alabama Blackbelt from which they came. The quiltmakers of Gee's Bend remind us that American history is woven not only through famous events and public monuments, but also through the hands of ordinary people whose creativity, determination, and traditions endure across generations. On behalf of Alabama's 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and honoring the quiltmakers of Gee's Bend, Alabama, for their extraordinary contributions to American art, history, and culture. May their work continue to inspire generations to come, [[Page E1010]] ____________________ |