African American Quilt Documentation Day in DC

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WASHINGTON, DC — The African American Quilt Documentation Study Group (AAQDSG) will host a FREE quilt documentation event in Washington, DC on Sunday, November 1, 2026, inviting the African American community to bring family quilts in to be documented, preserved, and honored as part of our shared history. Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026 Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Location: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20005 Cost: Free — pre-registration required (time slots are limited) Register: https://aaqdsg.org/events Since the 1980s, quilt documentation has been used to preserve family legacies and record the social, cultural, and artistic significance of quilts.  African American family quilts have historically been excluded from this process.  Most exist today with no documented history of the quilt or its maker — what's known has been passed down orally and never recorded. "Documentation is how we hold onto that," said A'donna Richardson, Director of AAQDSG.  "It's an act of honoring our ancestors, of making sure the work of the quilt maker's hands is remembered.  It's a way of saying: our ancestors mattered, what they made matters, and the stories tied to their quilts matter." The process reaches beyond individual families.  Documented quilts become part of the historical record that scholars, museums, and researchers rely on to understand African American creativity, survival, faith, and community.  Without this work, those stories remain untold and the historical record remains misrepresented and incomplete. We are encouraging the African American community to bring their family quilts, in whatever condition (the older, the better), to the November 1 event to have them photographed and documented, and to share the stories behind them. YOU MUST REGISTER to attend: https://aaqdsg.org/events If all appointment slots are filled, send you name and contact information to afamquilydoc@aadqsg.org. Contact: A'donna Richardson, Director, AAQDSG Website: https://aaqdsg.org Email: afamquiltdoc@aaqdsg.org