Can you say happy dance?💃🏽
The love of music and dance has always been a force in African American culture, but can you imagine the joy an enslaved person would feel after learning they are free? I try to capture that joy in my very first Juneteenth quilt.
There is a lot going on in this quilt because when I experience a life changing event, there are so many thoughts running through my head (like being admitted to law school, getting pregnant or becoming a grandmother). Happiness, fear, reflection and finally acceptance tumble through my brain all at once.
The words in the quilt tell us that some people escaped to freedom by following Harriett. Others found out on Juneteenth. Either way, freedom evokes unspeakable joy as represented by the birds and the dancing people. The background fabric continues the theme of the quilt. The word "Hallelujah" is subtlely printed on the fabric. The cotton represents the past.
Hallelujah! Finally Free as a Bird! is a quilt best enjoyed in person, but on this day in Black History Month, 2024, let's join in on the happy dance.
P.S. Hallelujah! Finally Free as a Bird! is spending Black History Month in Walterboro, SC. It is part of the Low Country African American Cultural Arts Festival.