Quilt (Red and Green Leaves) c. 1941

Charles Roadman created this quilt of red and green leaves. Roadman was born in 1855, a time when quilts were not merely bed coverings, but rather complex documents of personal expression, community, and identity. This quilt, with its botanical motifs, speaks to the deep connection between women and the natural world, a theme often found within spaces of domesticity. Quilting circles, a common practice during Roadman's time, were places where women gathered to share stories, knowledge, and support. Embedded within each stitch is the labor of love, but also echoes of women's work in the domestic sphere. Roadman’s quilt exists as a testament to the ways in which everyday objects can carry profound personal and cultural significance. In thinking about this quilt, consider the emotional weight of handmade objects, and the silent stories they carry.