The exhibition was funded in part by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture and The County of San Diego Community Enhancement Program.
The exhibition showcased more than 50 quilts made throughout the American South between 1910 and the 1970s. Stunning color combinations and distinctively free patterns epitomized an artistic vision that is unique to the American folk art tradition. African American quilts, made entirely by women, are celebrated for their bold improvisation and modern take on traditional quilting patterns, such as the House Top or Log Cabin, Star of Bethlehem and Pine Burr. Many of the quilts were made from materials that were readily available to the makers, including flour sacks, old blue jeans and work clothes and fabric remnants. This early form of recycling and reuse was a necessity that became the foundation for unique expression. The exhibition also explored a variety of construction techniques and quilting.
A volume of the same name accompanied the exhibition.
On Saturday, June 11, the Museum presented a performance entitled Quilt Me a Story by The Black Storytellers of San Diego. A hands-on quilting workshop, Community Quilt Building, took place Saturday, September 23, featuring quilter, seamstress and professional storyteller Linda Brown.