By Gabrielle Harmon
CHESAPEAKE, Virginia (WTKR) — A powerful new exhibit at the Chesapeake Central Library tells the stories of Black History through the art of quilting, offering visitors a unique perspective on resilience, freedom and cultural preservation.
The African American Sewcial Threaders Guild presents “A Hundred Quilts for 100 Years of Black Resilience: The Underground Railroad and Beyond,” featuring handcrafted quilts that shed light on the experiences of those who worked, protected, and helped in the Underground Railroad plus the generations that followed.
“I tried to portray where she is loosening her shackles and she’s putting on her crown to be the queen that she always was,” one quilter explained about her piece.
The Underground Railroad quilts serve as both art and historical narrative, according to Dedra Wright, a member of the Sewcial Threaders Guild.
“The Underground Railroad Quilts actually are blocks that are assembled together, but individually they tell a story,” Wright said.
The exhibit goes beyond the journey to freedom, exploring how families have preserved history and culture through traditions, transformations and triumphs over the years.
Lamonica Carpenter, another Sewcial Threader, emphasized the importance of sharing these often-hidden stories.
“We as a culture have always kept our stuff in the closet, but we need to tell those stories. People need to know,” Carpenter said.
The quilts honor both those who successfully escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad and those who did not survive the journey. Wright noted that the African American experience encompasses much more than the path from slavery to freedom.
“When we’re talking about the African American experience we’re not just talking about slavery. It’s not just going to freedom. It’s also breaking some of these generational curses,” Wright said.
The Guild hopes their work will inspire future generations to learn from the past.
“We’re not promised tomorrow but we can share what we’ve learned about yesterday. So that when tomorrow comes for someone else they will know and they will have learned,” Carpenter said.
“I really hope that people can hear our heart as they look at what we’ve been able to pull together,” Wright said.
The exhibit is currently on display at the Chesapeake Central Library, offering community members the opportunity to experience these powerful stories of resilience and cultural heritage firsthand.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
