Quilts in our American History studies: Freedom Train

Mariposa and I are sharing some new found information through our reading at the moment.  She is learning about American History, using Sonlight Core D+E, and we're now using Freedom Train as her read-aloud.

Freedom Train has been a very engaging book.  We find we're moving through it at up to three chapters a day, so will finish it fairly quickly.

The story itself is moving at a good pace for us.  It has enough detail for discussion, but not too much that it becomes morose.  There is always some action about to take place, which is what prompts us to read 'just one more' chapter.

I've found it very interesting that a book I'd started reading last month (but haven't had time to finish yet) touches on a similar subject.  I'm reading The Runaway Quilt, which is book four in a series written by Jennifer Chiaverini.  In Jennifer's first book, The Quilter's Apprentice, there is reference made to quilts that were made as a signal to those who were escaping slavery through the Underground Railroad.  I decided to check for more references to see if more evidence could be found to prove this.

Early Log Cabin blocks were hand-pieced using strips of fabrics around a central square. In traditional Log Cabin blocks, one half is made of dark fabrics and the other half light. A red center symbolized the hearth of home, and a yellow center represented a welcoming light in the window. Anecdotal evidence, based on oral folklore, suggests that during the Civil War, a Log Cabin quilt with a black center hanging on a clothesline was meant to signal a stop for the Underground Railroad.   http://www.quiltviews.com/log-cabin-quilts-a-short-history

photo found here

There seems to be some controversy over this idea, as is written up in this piece of "Quilt History".  Still, I think that it's a very interesting piece of information to consider.  It's a theory that fits in with the codes of songs Harriet used to give secret messages to her friends and families throughout the story.

The Runaway Quilt explores the use of the Flying Geese block.  I'm now keen to finish reading this story to see what it reveals.  It seems that there were other quilt blocks used as symbols to slaves on the Underground Railroad.  Here's some more information I found: The Underground Railroad Quilt.

Even though there is no absolute proof to say that this quilting 'codes' were put there to assist runaway slaves, it's been interesting to find that there was definitely a huge effort made by many to help them find their destination.

Until next time!

Catherine