Freedom Quilts

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Freedom Quilts

• Using quilts as maps on the underground railroad
• By Eileen Kirklen

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Quilts have many uses. During slavery in the
United States, they were sometimes used as maps.
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Many slaves lived on plantations and worked in
cotton fields. They heard stories of other
slaves on other plantations.
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Many slaves had to work hard. Some were
separated from their families. They wanted
freedom and some decided to run away.
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They would share information they learned about
where things were. They knew that if you could
find your way north you would be free.
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The north star led the way north for many slaves.
They would look for the big dipper which they
called a drinking gourd because of its shape.
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The slaves that worked in the plantation house
heard stories of different places from slaves
that would visit.
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A slave that worked as a seamstress would listen
carefully and stitch the shapes of roads, rivers,
houses, woods and trails into a colorful quilt.
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When a slave was ready to run, they would use the
quilt as a map to take them toward freedom on the
underground railroad.
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The underground railroad was a group of people
that secretly helped slaves to escape and find
their way up north.
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Without freedom quilts to help guide the way
north, many slaves may not have been able to
escape to freedom.
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Slaves used symbols and pictures like those below
to make freedom quilts that were used as maps.
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What symbols or pictures could you put on a
freedom quilt?
Symbols
Pictures
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We read the story Sweet Clara and the Freedom
Quilt and African American Quilting. Pretend
you are a slave and want to escape to freedom.
Design a freedom quilt that will take you up
north to freedom.Be sure to include symbols or
pictures that another person could follow to find
their way up north.