An American Quilt
An American Quilt by Rachel May, published by Pegasus Books on October 8, 2019, is a reprint edition comprising 416 pages. This book explores the extensive impact of slavery across regions, from New England to the Caribbean, and its influence on the development of mercantile America. Through the lens of a remarkable quilt, May uncovers the connections between the agrarian South and the industrial North during the antebellum era, offering insights into the lives of the enslaved women who crafted it.
Readers will find a detailed examination of the quilt’s origins, including its unfinished state and the historical documents embedded within it. May delves into the stories of Minerva, Eliza, Jane, and Juba, the enslaved women behind the quilt, as well as their owner, Susan Crouch. The narrative weaves together themes of history, crafts, and the African American experience, providing a rich context for understanding the often-overlooked legacy of slavery. An American Quilt serves as both a historical exploration and a tribute to the craft of quilting, highlighting its significance as a tangible connection to the past.
Official synopsis Publisher
Rachel May’s rich new book explores the far reach of slavery, from New England to the Caribbean, the role it played in the growth of mercantile America, and the bonds between the agrarian south and the industrial north in the antebellum era—all through the discovery of a remarkable quilt. While studying objects in a textile collection, May opened a veritable treasure-trove: a carefully folded, unfinished quilt made of 1830sera fabrics, its backing containing fragile, aged papers with the dates 1798, 1808, and 1813, the words “shuger,” “rum,” “casks,” and “West Indies,” repeated over and over, along with “friendship,” “kindness,” “government,” and “incident.” The quilt top sent her on a journey to piece together the story of Minerva, Eliza, Jane, and Juba—the enslaved women behind the quilt—and their owner, Susan Crouch. May brilliantly stitches together the often-silenced legacy of slavery by revealing the lives of these urban enslaved women and their world. Beautifully written and richly imagined, An American Quilt is a luminous historical examination and an appreciation of a craft that provides such a tactile connection to the past.
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