The Quilts of Gee's Bend

Since the early 19th century, the women of Gee's Bend in southern Alabama have created stunning, vibrant quilts. Award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin's The Quilts of Gee's Bend explores the history and culture of this fascinating group of women and their unique quilting traditions, using meticulous research to offer an exclusive look at an important facet of African American art and culture.

In the rural community of Gee's Bend, African American women have been making quilts for generations. They use scraps of old overalls, aprons, and bleached cornmeal sacks - anything they can find. Their traditions have been passed down through the decades.

Much to the women's surprise, a selection of the quilts was featured in an exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in 2002. The exhibition then traveled to the Whitney Museum in New York City. "Eye-poppingly gorgeous," wrote a critic for the New York Times about the exhibition.