Amherstburg Freedom Museum hears about Black quilting traditions

By Hailey Zimmerman

The Amherstburg Freedom Museum hosted an online presentation titled Piecing Together Black Quilting Traditions in Southern Ontario.

This presentation was hosted by Moraa Stump, who previously graduated from OCAD University in 2021, and has now become a resident at the harbourfront centre in Toronto.

Stump stated she has recently received a few grants for her research on quilts and quilting in Black communities in southern Ontario. Because of her research with Quilts, she visited the Amherstburg Freedom Museum for the first time, and was able to work on the Black Quilting Traditions presentation with the museum.

One contributing reason she decided to continue her research as well as the creation of her own quilts was to feel more connected to her community, as well as her family, who used to also quilt.

In her presentation, she covers many topics, including the folklore of the quilts. The folklore is that different quilts could be used to express messages for important evolutionary Black movements like the Underground Railroad.

“I’ve been talking a lot about the folklore, but I was interested in finding out some more actual facts. Historians agree that the folklore didn’t happen, the idea of passing codes through quilts. Some of the quilts got very popular after the Civil war, so it’s very unlikely that the squares would have been used to communicate during the underground railroad, and it’s probably more likely that they were used as a means of record keeping after the fact rather than as a way to pass code,” says Stump.

Stump shares stories of her experiences as someone who has made many quilts in her life. She shows many photos of her quilts, including her “Topsy Turvy” quilt project, a quilt made completely of metal from cans and other recycled metals, a large black cloth doll, and others.

One piece she has worked on in a popular place in Toronto is a large banner-type quilt in the Spadina house museum garden in Toronto.

This quilt aims to show off the folklore history of the Spadina house, which was a meeting place for those who passed through the underground railroad.

The house is also said to have belonged to the founders of TD Bank, who had also passed through the Railroad.

Stump explains that every single one of the pieces she makes is inspired by a concept or idea that she tries to explore and communicate with her audience. The messages are often relatable to others who have faced discrimination because of the color of their skin.

“In Toronto, as black folk go about their day, I know we’re not in the time of slavery anymore, but it doesn’t mean that life is necessarily easier or that there aren’t challenges in everyday life. That’s what I hope people will think of when they see my art up in public, it’s that they will be struck by these metaphors of comfort, care and community,” said Stump. Stump also spoke of the quilts she was able to view at the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, the Amherstburg Freedom Museum, and the Chatham Railroad Museum, with the help of her grants.

At the museums, she was able to view many authentic quilts.

There was a particular piece she discussed that was known to have existed and derived from enslaved black quilting origins.

“One of the oldest quilt sets at the Buxton Museum is a blue and white quilt that was gifted to Reverend Kind around the time of his first marriage. She elaborates on the materials used in the quilts, and how you can tell a lot of a quilt by the materials used to fabricate the quilt.

“There is no distinct style black people use to make their quilts. That’s just a myth said to create more segregation amongst the people of the world. The materials and making of a quilt can help recognize the social economic standpoint of a persons’ life as opposed to their race,” said Stump. Stump finished off her presentation by answering in depth questions from her audience.

For those interested in supporting the Amherstburg Freedom Museum programming or to donate, visit their website at www.amherstburgfreedom. org or call them at 519-736-5433. The museum is located at 277 King St. The full presentation is still available on the museum’s Facebook and YouTube sites.