Quilts and Human Rights

Quilts and Human Rights offers a new understanding of the history of global human rights as seen through textiles of awareness and activism. Of all the textile forms linked to human rights activities, one form—the quilt—has proved an especially potent and popular form for individuals, working alone or as part of organized groups, to subversively or overtly act for human rights. Through a description of this activity over time and space, Quilts and Human Rights advances awareness of critical human rights issues: suffrage, race relations, civil wars, natural disasters, HIV/AIDs, and ethnic, sexual, and gender discrimination. Quilts and Human Rights pays tribute to the individuals who have used needle skills to prick the conscience and encourage action against human rights violations.  
 

Marsha MacDowell is the curator of folk arts and a professor of art and art history; Mary Worrall is the curator of cultural heritage and an education co-manager; Lynne Swanson is an assistant curator of folk arts and cultural collections manager; and Beth Donaldson is the collections assistant for quilts and a digital cultural resources manager; all are located at Michigan State University Museum. These authors have worked together on many quilt-related exhibitions, research, educational programs, and collection activities. MacDowell, Worrall, and Donaldson lead the Quilt Index (www.quiltindex.org), an international digital repository of thousands of images and stories about quilts and their makers. Desmond Tutu, winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize, is a South African social rights activist and retired Anglican bishop.