The Underground Railroad Quilt Freedom Movement

 

What once stood as a secret code to escape now stands as a tribute to the Underground Railroad Quilt freedom movement because of the work of local teens.

In the ongoing Black History Month celebration, young people in the Sandwich Teen Action Group have specially designed a quilt depicting aspects of the Underground Railroad.

Ashley Thibert, a 13-year-old at Marlborough public school in Windsor, is one of the volunteers who hand-made the quilt.

“It is important for us to be involved in the quilt because it means to prevent slavery and acknowledged Canada as a free country,” said Thibert.

Another volunteer, Mardoche Rwamihigo, a 12-year-old at Northwood public school in Windsor, joined the movement last year.

“We joined this because as a kid of this age, we have to learn about this. When we get older, we can teach other people and then this history can pass on and you will never be forgotten,” said Rwamihigo.

Joi Hurst-Morrison is the founder and director of the Coalition for Justice, Unity, and Equity, was also present at the quilt-making event.

“The movement is teaching our youth about the journey of struggle of their ancestors for their freedom,” said Morrison.

Black people were not allowed to read and write so the abolitionists had to devise a way to silently communicate directions to escapees, thus the idea of quilt patterns with meaning for those wanting freedom came into being.

“Different aspects of movement are depicted on the quilts. Each patch has a direction and a message. So, the kids are learning what those messages are,” said Morrison.

Elise Harding Davis, 72, who is working as a historian in this group, is a retired curator executive administrator at the Amherstburg Freedom Museum.

“We came to Canada as slaves and we were not immigrant. We were not invited to be Canadian citizens until 1911,” said Davis. “We fought in every major war on the North American continent to help everyone else be free. The underground railroad quilt was devised by people who seeking freedom that is slaves and the people who supporting freedom.”

Around 250 people attended the event with the participation of about 25 teen volunteers.

The Underground Railroad Quilt showcases the history of a difficult fateful journey from enslavement and oppression in the United States to freedom in Canada.