Harriet Powers is considered one of the most important African-American quilters of the 19th century.
Her narrative quilts, which combine biblical stories, events from history, and scenes from daily life, are recognized for their complexity and beauty.
However, her trajectory was clouded by the racism of a society that did not value her artistic contributions. It was only in the 1970s that her 19th century quilts gained interest in the field of Art.
The beginning
Harriet Powers was born in 1837, in Clarke County, Georgia, on a slave plantation.
Like many enslaved women, Powers likely sewed clothing, bedding, and other items for the families of plantation owners. However, unlike many others, she learned to read and write.
From an early age, she also learned the art of quilting from other enslaved women, who used the art form to tell stories and preserve the technique that has roots in West Africa.
Emancipation
After the American Civil War , Harriet, her husband, and her children were emancipated. It is believed that she had at least nine children.
Around 1894, Powers' husband left her and although most of the couple's land had to be sold, she was able to keep her home. She did not remarry and probably supported herself as a seamstress for the rest of her life.
Powers wrote Letters that refer to several quilts she made, but only two survive: the Biblical quilt , which is housed in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C., and the Pictorial quilt , held in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Harriet's quilts were much more than just blankets. They were visual narratives. They told stories.
The Biblical Quilt
The oldest of Powers's known story quilts is the Biblical quilt, which she exhibited at an 1886 cotton fair in Athens. In 11 panels separated by thick stripes, the quilt depicts stories from the Bible .
At the fair, a woman named Jennie Smith was impressed with the quilt and approached Powers to buy it. Powers refused to sell, but a few years later, during a period of financial difficulty, she gave in and sold it for $5.
Before leaving her quilt in Smith's hands, Powers explained in detail the story told in each panel, and Smith wrote these descriptions in her journal, creating a historical record.
The Pictorial Quilt
According to family history, Reverend Charles Cuthbert Hall received this quilt as a gift from a group of female professors at Atlanta University in 1898.
The Old and New Testament scenes on this quilt were an appropriate gift for a Presbyterian minister.
Harriet Powers describes in it four stories of natural phenomena and a lesson in morality.
Late Recognition
During her lifetime, her work was often undervalued because it was considered "women's art" in the narrative of the time and because it was associated with African-American culture, which was marginalized in society.
However, Harriet was rediscovered in the 20th century. Her works were eventually recognized as important examples of American folk art and began to be displayed in museums and galleries.
Harriet's "Bible Quilt" and "Pictorial Quilt" are now considered national treasures and are studied for their technical complexity and their cultural value.
Conclusion
Historian Kyra Hicks, who investigated her biography, tells us that Harriet Powers was a literate and award-winning quilter, who sewed at least five quilts and promoted her own artistic work.
Harriet teaches us that female textile art is a powerful tool of cultural resistance and preservation of memory and history over time. Harriet may not have remained in the history books, but her stories told from her Art endured.