The Mississippi Museum of Art displays rich textile treasures created by the South’s Black quilters through April 13.
Written by Leslie Criss | Photographs Contributed by Mississippi Museum of Art
For more than a century, the Mississippi Museum of Art has protected, archived and showcased treasures created by not only Mississippians but also artists from across the United States and countless other countries.
These artistic treasures include paintings, photography, sculpture, fabric art and much more. The downtown Jackson museum is the state’s largest art museum.
Since mid-November, the Mississippi Museum of Art has proudly displayed more than 50 quilts, both handmade and stitched by machine. Part of the its permanent collection, the quilts were created from the 1960s to 2010 by Black artists — quilters — from the Southern states of North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
The museum’s collection is a large one. In 2022, the collection grew after receiving a gift from the Kohler Foundation of 131 quilts from the personal collection of folklorist and photographer Roland Freeman. Some of Freeman’s collection are featured in “Of Salt and Spirit.” Freeman, once a White House photographer and director of the Mississippi Folklife Project, photographed Black quilters and groups of quilters. His work may be seen in his book, “Something to Keep You Warm: The Roland Freeman Collection of Black American Quilts from the Mississippi Heartland.”
The fabric artists whose quilts appear in “Of Salt and Spirit” include Annie Dennis, Gwendolyn Magee, Annie Mae Morgan, Geraldine Nash, Hystercine Rankin, Emma Russell, Elizabeth T. Scott, Joyce J. Scott and Mabel Williams. The exhibit, which will remain on display through April 13, will then tour the nation.
Annie Dennis and Emma Russell are among the Mississippi quilters. The sisters, from Woodville, were fifth-generation quilters who grew up quilting. Dennis died in 1997; Russell in 2004.
Hystercine Rankin of Jefferson County learned to quilt when she was 12, taught by her grandmother. Rankin made quilts for her seven children, but did not think of herself as an artist. But in 1981, Mississippi Cultural Crossroads in Port Gibson asked Rankin to participate as a folk artist in the Artist Residency in the Schools program. Through this work, Rankin and her quilts became sought after by many. The money she made from her quilts helped her to put all seven of her children through college at Alcorn State University. In 1988, Rankin became master quilter for Mississippi Cultural Crossroads. She died in 2010.
Geraldine Nash grew up on a farm outside of Port Gibson. She learned to quilt as a child from her mother, but her passion later moved to sewing. However, in 1988 Nash went to work for Mississippi Cultural Crossroads helping with childcare. While there, Nash expanded her quilting knowledge at the hands of Hystercine Rankin. The two later started Crossroads Quilters to help teach others the art of quilting. Nash continues to work at Mississippi Cultural Crossroads as a program assistant.
Dr. Sharbreon Plummer is a researcher, writer and curator of the Mississippi Museum of Art exhibit. Her research focuses on textile traditions, artistic production and folkways connected to Black life, specifically in the South.
“The quilts on display in ‘Of Salt and Spirit’ represent both the artistry and a deep cultural narrative conveyed by the makers over decades,” Plummer said. “They are a testament to resilience, creativity and community.
“We invite everyone to engage with these powerful stories and appreciate the intricate work of these talented artists.”
If You Go
Mississippi Museum of Art, 380 South Lamar Street
Hours are 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and 1 until 5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays.
For additional information, call 601-960-1515.
Quilts in Oxford
Closer to home, the University of Mississippi Museum is also featuring quilts in “American Quilts: Stories of Endurance and Innovation,” on exhibit through Aug. 30. Visit the museum at University Avenue & South 5th Street in Oxford, open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
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