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Suffrage Quilt
This quilt embodies the grassroots political will that fueled battles fought in statehouses across the country during the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919–1920. Representing an American tradition of women organizing and fundraising for social and political causes such as temperance, abolitionism, and women’s suffrage, it bears the embroidered names of nearly 300 members of farming and working-class families from northwestern Indiana. Near the top is the name of Susan B. Anthony, a tribute to the tireless suffrage leader who died in 1906. Each name represents a small donation made to support the making of the quilt, which was likely sold at auction at a fair or public gathering.
Like the signatures on petitions sent by women’s suffrage groups to Congress urging the amendment’s passage, the uniformly stitched names on the quilt are nonhierarchical. Common aphorisms and biblical passages across the top, as well as the flag design—recalling a Civil War-era quilt pattern popular among Union supporters—lent a sense of historic weight to the quilt’s message, framing the struggle for the right of women to vote as a national one, with a just and inevitable conclusion.
Hoosier Suffrage Quilt
Suffrage Quilt
American (probably Indiana)
before 1920
Object Place: Probably Indiana, United States
Medium/Technique
Cotton plain weave, pieced, embroidered, and quilted
Dimensions
Length x width: 182.9 x 188 cm (73.5 x 74.5 inches)
Credit Line
Frank B. Bemis Fund and with funds donated anonymously
Accession Number2012.170
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAmericas, Fashion and Textiles
ClassificationsTextiles
This quilt embodies the grassroots political will that fueled battles fought in statehouses across the country during the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1919–1920. Representing an American tradition of women organizing and fundraising for social and political causes such as temperance, abolitionism, and women’s suffrage, it bears the embroidered names of nearly 300 members of farming and working-class families from northwestern Indiana. Near the top is the name of Susan B. Anthony, a tribute to the tireless suffrage leader who died in 1906. Each name represents a small donation made to support the making of the quilt, which was likely sold at auction at a fair or public gathering.
Like the signatures on petitions sent by women’s suffrage groups to Congress urging the amendment’s passage, the uniformly stitched names on the quilt are nonhierarchical. Common aphorisms and biblical passages across the top, as well as the flag design—recalling a Civil War-era quilt pattern popular among Union supporters—lent a sense of historic weight to the quilt’s message, framing the struggle for the right of women to vote as a national one, with a just and inevitable conclusion.
DescriptionQuilt of red and white stripes, surrounded by blue border and canton decorated with 48 stars to form a flag. Upper border features patriotic and other mottos, while nine of the vertical red and white stripes contain approx. 300 names embroidered in lists. Two red corner blocks at bottom. Thought to be supporters of woman's suffrage, the name "Susan B. Anthony" appears near the top of one of the central columns.
White stars are machine appliqued to blue ground. Mottos and names are hand embroidered in satin stitch to contrasting ground. There is machine quilting in white thread in parallel diagonal lines between names and around stars. Some lines of hand quilting also appear in white thread across three blank bars on left. Backing is of red and white checked cotton.
White stars are machine appliqued to blue ground. Mottos and names are hand embroidered in satin stitch to contrasting ground. There is machine quilting in white thread in parallel diagonal lines between names and around stars. Some lines of hand quilting also appear in white thread across three blank bars on left. Backing is of red and white checked cotton.
ProvenanceSusan Parrish (1935-2011), New York; March 4, 2012, sale, Skinner (consigned by the estate of Susan Parrish), Boston, lot 645, to the MFA. (Accession date: April 25, 2012)