Pre-Civil War Quilts: Secret Codes to Freedom on the Underground Railroad

Join Road Scholar Connie Martin for a fascinating history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois. Connie begins this presentation by telling the history of her family who were slaves captured in West Africa and survived the Middle Passage. She tells her family’s stories of secrecy, codes, and fugitive slave escape routes from South to North, which was revealed in an information-packed family Bible found dated 1865.

Connie also tells the origin of the Underground Railroad, and reveals key famous abolitionists, slave routes passing through our counties in Illinois, and shows the quilt code on slides and fabric quilt pattern, along with instances of special stitching used in over a dozen beautifully hand-crafted quilt replicas each sewn by Connie’s mother especially for this presentation.

This event is presented as part of the Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Bureau.

This event takes place on Zoom. Registration is required and space is limited.