Honoring the Black women who quilted a path to freedom

The Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy has received a  three-year, $1.15 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to restore the historic headquarters of the Freedom Quilting Bee in Alberta, Alabama, and expand programming. Founded by Black women in Alabama’s Black Belt in 1966, the cooperative became a symbol of economic empowerment during the Civil Rights movement by creating jobs and income through quilting at a time when segregation severely limited economic opportunities. It also supported civil rights and voting efforts.  The organization will also use the grant to hire a development director to broaden philanthropic support.  “We will be better positioned to cultivate new partnerships and resources that will sustain this important work,” Executive Director Kim V. Kelly says.