“Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home.
If you get there before I do
Tell all my friends I’m coming too.”
If quilts could talk, oh the stories they would tell … or songs they would sing! That’s what was described as the history of The Underground Railroad came to life today in Ms. Heath’s fifth grade class at Willow Bend Elementary. Guest speaker, Carol Johnson of the Sewing Studio, told stories of slavery and how quilts played an important role in leading them to freedom.
Johnson described that each square on the quilt symbolized an encrypted message for The Underground Railroad, from filling baskets with food and supplies to choosing the correct path to ensure the slaves, or the “passengers,” were pointed north to freedom. She told students about how The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses, or “stations,” established in the United States leading up to the Civil War, and used by slaves to escape into free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies, or “conductors,” who aided in their freedom.
Students engaged by following along on a written diagram, as well as asking questions and taking an up close look at the quilts in the room.
“I made quilts when I was little, but I didn’t expect our students to enjoy the history and quilting as much as they have,” said Angie Rivera, intervention support staff at Willow Bend. “I reached out to the Sewing Studio to see if they would allow us to use some scrap pieces of fabric and was excited to find out they had a full lesson to share with our students.”
Next week, students will make their own quilts out of paper.
Below is the full Story of The Underground Railroad as told by the quilt.
“The Monkey Wrench turns the Wagon Wheel toward Canada. With help from Jesus, the Carpenter, follow the Bears’ Trail through the woods. Fill your Baskets with enough food and supplies to get you to the Crossroads. Once you get to the Crossroads, dig a Log Cabin in the ground. Shoofly told us to dress up in cotton and satin Bow Ties. Follow the Flying Geese and Birds in the Air, stay on the Drunkard’s Path. Take the Sailboat across the Great Lakes to the North Star above Canada.”