“Quilts for Obama: Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44^th President”

January 11, 2009 – January 31, 2009 

The Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
801 K Street, NW at Mount Vernon Square

Tuesday–Sunday
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

“Quilts for Obama: Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44^th President” is being presented by The Group for Cultural Documentation, Inc., in collaboration with the Historical Society of Washington, DC. Roland Freeman, curator of “Quilts for Obama: Celebrating the Inauguration of our 44^th President”, is founder of The Group for Cultural Documentation and a longtime advocate for African American quilters and their work. Many may remember his groundbreaking book on African American quilters, Communion of the Spirits, and he is a 2007 National Endowment For the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship recipient. Mr. Freeman also received the 2007 Bess Lomax Hawes Award.

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Left: “The Hope of the New Day Begun” (detail above) by Ms. Torreah “Cookie” Washington.In the small inner black circle the word “hope” is beaded in 30 languages

"President Obama: A Celebration in Art Quilts"

February 9–March 5, 2009

Opening Reception:
Friday, February 13, 6–9 p.m.

Cafritz Foundation Arts Center
Montgomery College
930 King Street
Silver Spring, Maryland

This show, organized by Susan Walen, includes the work of 60 fiber artists from all across the United States and as far away as Australia. This is a quilt show of amazing diversity—among the quilters and their art. The work is in tribute to our new President, in gratitude for the hope and inspiration he has brought us. We present these quilts at an unforgettable moment in our country’s history.

Right: “Treasure Map” by Susan (Lucky) Shie

“Together We Can”
by Peg Keeney
(Detail right, full quilt above)

“Dear Mr. Obama”
by Susan Walen (right)

“You Dig?”
by Martha Gilbert (right)

“NEXT”
by Michelle Flamer (right)

Many of the participating quilters in this project have had the honor of being interviewed by Karen Musgrave of the Alliance for American Quilts. Our stories will be saved in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress: http://www.allianceforamericanquilts.org/qsos/.