Signs and Shibboleths Virtual Exhibit

Introduction by Janet Chalker, Guest Curator
The exhibit “Signs and Shibboleths” was inspired by the book “Hidden in Plain View – A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad” by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond C. Dobard, PhD.  This book chronicles Tobin and Dobard’s quest to understand how quilts may have been used to assist runaway slaves.  As importantly, the authors connect this coded narrative to the African artistic traditions they brought with them to America.   This research took hold when Tobin was befriended by an African-American quilter in a market in Charleston, SC, Mrs. Ozella McDaniel Williams.  After several visits, Ozella told her to “write this down” and entrusted Tobin with the long-guarded mnemonic that was used to explain and remember the quilt code.

shib·​bo·​leth | \ ˈshi-bə-ləth also -ˌleth \: a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning

A group of local artists and artisans, working in a variety of media, have come together to embody this story of audacity and ingenuity.  Each of the artist’s work hints at the possible meaning of the block pattern, while also giving testament to the courage, intellect and resourcefulness of those who left and those who stayed to help.  It is also intentional that this project has been done by a community of creative folks – since it took a community to reach freedom. 

Our intention has always been to open this exhibit at Easter, since that, for Christians, is the ultimate journey to freedom.  Given that circumstances  prohibit us from gathering in person, we offer this virtual tour of the exhibit featuring images and personal reflections from the artists.  Over the next several weeks we will be posting interviews, readings and other stuff we found interesting while putting this all together.  If you want to see the exhibit in person, please contact us by phone (540) 586-8482 or email to set an appointment (limited to no more than 2 people at a time). The exhibition will be up through May 22nd.

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"She said the Monkey Wrench quilt was a signal for the slaves to begin their escape preparations by collecting the 'tools' they thought they would need on their journey north...The monkey wrench was an essential tool in transforming metal; mental tools could be used to transform the slave, to reshape self images.  Knowledge has always been the most effective tool no matter what the situation"
Hidden in Plain View, pages 83-84

The Journey
Pat Dougherty

"But little by little,
as you left their voice behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world..."
excerpt from The Journey by Mary Oliver [Read More]

Blue-Triadic Churn Dash
Linda Black

At first glance we see the large image, then realize that all the parts of it are made by combining the parts of smaller images, simply by changing the “value”, or lightness/darkness of those pieces.  In the same way, the message behind the quilt pattern was hidden in plain sight.  So that only those who had the key could read the message.  [Read More]

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"She said that the Wagon Wheel quilt, the second one to be displayed on the fence, was a sign alerting slaves to pack provisions for their journey as if they were packing a wagon, meaning that they should think about what was essential for survival during their trip."
Hidden in Plain View, page 84

Wagon Wheel - It's Time
Janet Chalker

In every journey there is a moment when you have to commit.  You must make a plan, pack up and decide it is time to leave; decide it’s time to change.  This quilt block, for me, represents that moment.  It is layered with spiritual connections – the Carpenter’s Wheel, referencing Jesus the carpenter and Ezekiel’s wheel which ran on faith and grace.  We are told to “steal away to Jesus”, to find our own freedom, our own path.  [Read More]

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"Ozella also addressed the bear's paw trail, explaining that it was really a visual reference reminding the fugitives to follow the actual trail of a bear's footprints.  These footprints would undoubtedly indicate the best path and would also lead to food and/or water."
Hidden in Plain View, page 84

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Bear's Paw
Desmond Black

This challenge intrigued me in all the messaging and the risks all participants undertook, both in escaping but also assisting those people in their flight.  I took the challenge within my artistic domain, which is woodworking, and chose the Bears Paw block, since the message was to “follow the bears tracks through the woods to the cross roads”. [Read More]

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"We have considered how a knowledgeable but mysterious person or persons guided the fugitives from the plantation to the Appalachian mountain range, where they followed the trail of the bear until they crossed over into Ohio on the way to Cleveland, the crossroads.  Once they arrived at the crossroads, their lives changed permanently."
Hidden in Plain View, page 95

The Baptism of Eshu
Patrick Ellis

Eshu, also spelled Eschu, also called Elegba, is a trickster god of the Yoruba of Nigeria, an essentially protective, benevolent spirit who serves Ifa, the chief god, as a messenger between heaven and earth. Eshu requires constant appeasement in order to carry out his assigned functions of conveying sacrifices and divining the future...Many of these enslaved people would come to adopt the religion of the Europeans that were their allies in this journey to freedom.  They were baptized into new memories, beliefs, rituals and cosmologies … but in this baptism, these converts would profoundly alter this European religion forever. [Read More]

At a Crossroads - Moving Between Past, Present, Peace, and Power
Shelley Koopmann

The pattern of the woman hanging on the wall is from Bisa Butler's beautiful quilt.  The crossroad pattern is behind her.  The figure looking at it is a combination of Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to the US Congress (holding up a peace sign), and Angela Davis, who was associated with the Black Panthers, a militant group fighting for that same peace, but in a more radical way (holding up the fist).  Just two women who took different paths (crossroads) to achieve peace in the 60's.  [Read More]

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"It is our conjecture that 'dug a cabin on the ground' refers to the act of drawing a symbol on the ground in order to recognize persons with whom it is safe to communicate...Once again we see used a technique that allows for communication when it is unsafe to communicate with voice or words."
Hidden in Plain View, page 104

Log Cabin
Nancy Laurent

RUN AWAY SLAVES
            Following the North Star
RUN AWAY SLAVES
            Men, Women & Children
Held with Shackles & Chains
RUN AWAY SLAVES
            Chased with Men & Horses, Guns & Hounds
RUN AWAY SLAVES
            Looking for the “Log Cabin”
            Looking for Freedom

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"Ozella thought that Shoofly referred to an actual person who might have aided escaping slave, but she had no further information...Perhaps Shoofly, who seems to be directing the action in this part of the code, was a Prince Hall Mason (from an African American Masonic Lodge founded prior to the Revolutionary War) or a free black familiar with a secret language."
Hidden in Plain View, pages 104-105

Shoofly
Revelle Hamilton

I chose to do Shoofly. Not a lot Is known about this symbol. It Is thought that Shoofly
may refer to an actual person who might have aided escaping slaves. In the book Hidden in Plain Sight- A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad it says,"Shoofly told them to dress up in cotton and satin bow ties and go to the cathedral church, get married and exchange double wedding rings".

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"Ozella told us that dressing up in cotton and satin bows was a direction to the slaves to dress in a formal manner...Might not this phrase also be a direction to dress up in order not to stand out among city folks, if in the final legs of their journey, the fugitives were to walk through town to get to the ships awaiting them?"
Hidden in Plain View, pages 105-107

Bow Ties
Dick Hendrix

...These items were not decorative but had utilitarian purposes in addition to their use as a signpost on the Railroad...In my piece, I’ve tried to remain true to this ideal.  The block consists of 36 triangles cut from red cedar and yellow poplar logs.  The red cedar triangles came from logs that were deadfall on my property.  The yellow poplar triangles were fashioned from a log that came from my wife’s uncle’s workshop.  The block is framed in pine strips that came from century-old pine that I inherited from my father over 20 years ago. [Read More]

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"While Ozella referred to the Double Wedding Ring as symbolizing getting rid of the chains the slaves might still be wearing, she also stated that it was essential for the slaves to also rid themselves of the mental bonds of slavery."
Hidden in Plain View, page 109

Double Wedding Rings
Caroline Renard

...The part that stood out most to me was the subject of the Middle Passage.  It was the water that drew me in initially ...But the flow of the water, like life is one of turbulence and calm.  Fair weather and following seas are what sailors want most.  A squall however can come without warning and strikes unmercifully to the least prepared, leaving much damage in its wake.  So it was with this history in my mind that I approached my art. [Read More]

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"Migrating birds or geese instinctively knew in which direction to fly.  For the fugitives, quilt patterns provided directions.  The flexibility that this Flying Geese pattern offers would enable a quilter to use it as a compass...Once a direction was established, the fugitives were able to travel on."
Hidden in Plain View, page 113

Donna Gallucci

A signal to follow the direction of the flying geese as they migrated north in the spring.  Most slaves escaped during the spring; along the way the flying geese could be used as a guide to find water, food and places to rest.

Revelle Hamilton

Flying Geese pattern told the slaves to follow migrating geese north towards Canada and to freedom. This pattern was used as directions as well as the best season for slaves to escape. Geese fly north in spring and summer. Geese also stop at waterways along their journey to rest and eat.
 
I Interpreted Flying Geese in paper, painting the re and blue "fabrics" in African motifs. The green triangles represent maps of the corn fields and may have aided slaves who were unfamiliar with the layout of a specific plantation to find their way.

Allyson Turner

This is a very old pattern which represented Canada as a place to flee to.  Slaves would cross  the Detriot  River  to get to Chatham and on to Toronto.  I lived in Canada for forty years where there is a rich quilting tradition of folks with African heritage.  I wanted to honor these women by making my quilt a authentic as I could using those traditional techniques.  I have come full circle … when I first  started  to quilt the flying geese was the pattern I choose to make my first quilt  

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"When we asked Ozella about the drunkard's path, she turned a quilt over and focused on the reverse side.  Running her fingers along the threads, she said, 'Drunkards weave back and forth, never moving in a straight line.'  She believed the Drunkard's Path pattern was a warning to slaves to move in zigzag fashion and to even double back occasionally on their tracks in order to elude any slave catchers pursing them."
Hidden in Plain View, page 114

Drunkard's Path
Dotti Stone

Drunkard’s Path is a very simple design composed of changing orientations of 16 squares composed of two shapes: a quarter circle, and the surround. Simple shapes at a glance, but a somewhat advanced pattern due to the curved shapes. In this mosaic interpretation of Drunkard’s Path for this Underground Railroad Project, varying the size of the components of the design adds to the complexity of walking a zig zag route to elude pursuers. [Read More]

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"Like the star of Bethlehem guiding the Wise Men, the North Star has been historically connected with the Underground Railroad...While we can only surmise which constellations might have aided escape, the historical precedent for using the stars as guiding lights has been firmly established."
Hidden in Plain View, pages 114-115

Follow the Drinking Gourd
Mitchell Bond

Times of struggle require new ways of seeing, new ways of understanding, new ways of living.  Map makers combine color and pattern to set the course – follow, follow, follow.  Singers and dancers dictate the movement – feet to the ground, eyes to the sky.  Visioners – starry-eyed yet rooted – tell of the promises yet to come. [Read More]

A Tribute to Harriet Tubman
Patty Malanga

…I set the North Star in the heavens and I mean for you to be free…
 
Harriet Tubman was an American abolitionist and political activist.  Born into slavery Tubman escaped and subsequently made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people, including family and friends, using the network of antislavery activists and safes houses known as the Underground Railroad.

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Quilt Journey Markers
Sharon Kessler

At the first meeting of artists for this project, everyone else had already chosen a quilt block they were inspired to create.  I was hoping one of the blocks would just jump out at me as “the ONE”, but it didn’t happen.  While listening to the artist who conceived this project explain her vision of the show, she mentioned the need to display a mnemonic that would form a path between the blocks.  Immediately, I pictured some kind of hand sculpted letters that would tell their story and volunteered.  A few days later as I rolled the black clay between my hands to form the body of the letters, images of African art kept running through my mind.  With a pinch or two of white clay shaped into little embellishments, it was exciting to see the letters start taking on a sort of tribal appeal that I felt lent itself well to telling this amazing story.