Quilts of The Underground Railroad - Presentation of The Quilt Code

Presentation of The Quilt Code

The theory that quilt blocks, not quilts themselves, were used by escaping slaves was presented in the 1999 book Hidden in Plain View, written by art historian and Howard University professor, Raymond Dobard, Jr., Ph.D., and Jacqueline Tobin, a college instructor in Colorado. Dobard's interpretations of the geometric configurations of certain quilt blocks is based on the oral testimony of former attorney/quilt vendor, Ozella McDaniel Williams of South Carolina who earned a degree in law from Howard University. Williams pointed to certain quilt blocks and recited a poem to Tobin, in short segments, over a period of three years (before the total "code" was revealed). The blocks, according to information reportedly passed down in Mrs. Williams' family, are said to have been created for the purpose of communication, namely, how to get ready to escape, what to do on the trip, and how to follow a path to freedom (often Canada). Mrs. Williams shared her family's "secret quilt code" with Tobin as follows:

"The monkey wrench (shifting spanner) turns the wagon wheel toward Canada on a bear's paw trail to the crossroads."

"Once they got to the crossroads they dug a log cabin on the ground. (bypass) told them to dress up in cotton and satin bow ties and go to the cathedral church, get married, and exchange double wedding rings."

"Flying geese stay on the drunkard's path and follow the stars."

One quilt block named in the secret quilt code is Drunkard's Path, with its curvilinear structure. According to the theory, those lines reminded slaves to move in a staggered path to keep the slave hunters confused.

Another block, the Carpenter's Wheel, is attached to a popular spiritual song "Steal Away". Like the song, it was a block to remind slaves to go with faith. The block supposedly reminded slaves, in a very stressful time, that God was with them.

The Bear's Paw block has different stories as to what it indicated. Bears are known to leave large tracks and spend a large amount of time near water, and lead slaves to such water which was very important on such a long journey. Another version suggests that spring was the best time to leave so they could live in the bear's den.

Dobard also advances the theory that series of knots on cloth could have created a type of map that may have been another way for slaves to communicate.

"There are five square knots on the quilt every two inches apart. They escaped on the fifth knot on the tenth pattern and went to Ontario, Canada."

These theories have been adopted widely for use in history classrooms in the United States as a more palatable and fun way to share "history" instead of talking about the harsh and brutal realities as well as challenges of slave escapes. The consequences of being caught were often dire. Those who have accepted the theories advanced as history, rather than the speculative quality that Dobard himself indicates is the case, have been eager to share this information via talks. Giles Wright, a now deceased university history professor who wrote a book about the Underground Railroad was the first to publicly disparage and discount the slave secret quilt code theory. Kimberly Wulfert, a psychologist who has a strong interest in quilt history, shared Dr. Wright's objections with others who are interested in quilt history. The conclusion of many professional historians and quilt historians is that the secret quilt code is the latest American myth. No extant quilts, quilt blocks nor written or oral testimony have been found to support such a theory.

The theory has captured interest in the UK as well as becoming a growing part of American culture due to the publicity given to it via newspapers and word-of-mouth sharing, especially The Oprah Winfrey Show which featured a segment with Dr. Dobard. The quilt code has been the topic of discussion by various museum lecture presenters, books and article. Notably, the very first reference to a code of this type was the fabrication of Deborah Hopkinson who wrote Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt in 1993, a work of fiction for children. However, the theory that the quilt blocks are artistically similar to art configurations seen in Africa is considered proof to a likely connection with American slaves. The quilt code has resulted in children in school "memorizing" the "code" and making quilt blocks and quilts in either paper or cloth to honor the period of history when it was legal for southern plantation owners to own human beings and force them to work at their bidding. The code is generally believed the general public, particularly those who are not well-versed in American history or quilt history in the United States. Folklorist Laurel Horton suggested in a talk she gave at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL) that people are, in part, rooting for the underdog and want to view slaves as empowered individuals, not as helpless victims.

In a 2007 Time Magazine article, Tobin (co-author of Hidden in Plain View) stated:

"Whether or not it's completely valid, I have no idea, but it makes sense with the amount of research we did."

While the quilt code and other similar theories may reflect a pride in the brave people who were active in the Underground Railroad, both as runaway slaves and those who helped them, it is a popular interest which may be either myth or fact.