Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South
Mississippi Museum of Art, USA
Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South surveys some of the richly diverse quiltmaking traditions maintained by Black women in the US South during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Drawn from the Mississippi Museum of Art’s holdings, the works featured in this publication highlight a major 2022 gift of quilts collected by renowned Black folklife documentarian Roland L. Freeman.
Over sixty handmade quilts, quilters’ portraits, and related objects together emphasize the importance of Mississippi and the broader South as foundational sites of knowledge production and artistic development.
If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Kennedy at 601-965-9914 or lkennedy@msmuseumart.org.
Exhibition Opening Events
Thursday, November 14, 2024
36th Annual Rembrandt Dinner
6 PM Cocktails
6:45 PM Exhibition tour with guest curator Dr. Sharbreon Plummer, PhD
7:15 PM Dinner by Pulito Osteria
Black tie optional
Kindly let us know if you plan to attend by Thursday, October 31, 2024.
Rembrandt Dinner is sponsored by Brunini.
Friday, November 15, 2024
5:30 – 6:30 PM | Curator Talk for Members
6:30 – 8:30 PM | Members’ Opening
Featuring hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and live gospel music from Annie & the Caldwell Singers, presented in partnership with the National Folk Festival
Please note that Members will receive their first two drink tickets on us. Please visit the check-in desk to receive your tickets. Additional drinks will be a cash bar. Water, soft drinks, and juices will be complimentary.
Saturday, November 16, 2024
11 AM – 5 PM | Opening Day
Before the exhibition opens at 11 AM, visitors are encouraged to visit the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. Tours begin at 9 AM.
Opening day activities will include a panel discussion, quilt demonstrations, and performances presented in partnership with the National Folk Festival, the City of Jackson, the Mississippi Arts Commission, and Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument.
- 11 AM | Panel Discussion with exhibition curator Dr. Sharbreon Plummer, Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, and Worth Long
- Noon | Chief Shaka Zulu Performance
- 12:30 PM | Quilt demonstrations (ongoing) and Guided Exhibition Tour
- 1:15 PM | Chief Shaka Zulu Performance
- 2 PM | Annie & the Caldwell Singers Gospel Performance
4 – 8 PM | National Folk Festival Preview
After the afternoon’s festivities have ended, head down to the “Welcome to Jackson” mural at the intersection of State and Pearl Streets for a special National Folk Festival kickoff event, featuring an exciting and eclectic evening of music and dance from 4 — 8 PM. More info at www.nationalfolkfestival.com.
Image: Blue text that states “Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South” frames an illustration of a four panel quilt that features red, pink, blue and orange lines.
