24 votes

Juneteenth: A 99-year-old celebrates Underground Railroad quilts

Posted by DefinitelyNotAFae
Tags: usa, slavery, underground railroad, freedom, african americans, holidays, juneteenth, cultural heritage, quilting, author.vanessa romo, source.npr
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/19/nx-s1-5436967/juneteenth-underground-railroad-quilts

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Title
On Juneteenth, she celebrates the role quilts may have played in Underground Railroad
Authors
Vanessa Romo
Published
Jun 19 2025
Word count
1179 words

7 comments

  1. DefinitelyNotAFae
    Link
    I wanted to make a post with some Juneteenth history articles so this is it. Quilts with secret messages are not agreed upon as historical truth, and I think it's entirely likely it's been created...

    I wanted to make a post with some Juneteenth history articles so this is it. Quilts with secret messages are not agreed upon as historical truth, and I think it's entirely likely it's been created in hindsight, looking for patterns and meaning in them, but I do find the motivation it gives Edith to keep quilting at 99 and to try to keep exploring her ancestors' erased history inspiring.

    She finds the current political climate and Juneteenth specifically a time to share her knowledge.

    "It gives me a chance to talk about the Underground Railroad with urgency," Edmunds said. "The younger generations don't know what really happened back then — with the Underground Railroad. So I hope I'm opening somebody's eyes and their minds

    3 votes
  2. [4]
    DefinitelyNotAFae
    Link
    @mycketforvirrad how can I reword this so politics is not a tag? I worked really hard and mentioned the "political climate" only in the vaguest of terms to rewrite a more explicit mention in the...

    @mycketforvirrad how can I reword this so politics is not a tag?

    I worked really hard and mentioned the "political climate" only in the vaguest of terms to rewrite a more explicit mention in the article but everything about the US should not be tagged politics. Unless every other article discussing history from everywhere is. I even cut back the articles I intended to post because I wanted this to be focus on history not the current state of affairs.

    3 votes
    2. [2]
      kacey
      Link Parent
      (thank you for that! This was a cool article, and I would’ve missed it otherwise since “politics” is on my filter list)

      (thank you for that! This was a cool article, and I would’ve missed it otherwise since “politics” is on my filter list)

      1 vote
      1. DefinitelyNotAFae
        Link Parent
        Yeah I ended up doing less than I'd hoped with this thread but at least it was something and you got to see it

        Yeah I ended up doing less than I'd hoped with this thread but at least it was something and you got to see it

        1 vote
  3. DefinitelyNotAFae
    Link
    Only known remaining original copy of order freeing enslaved Texans on display starting Juneteenth I had no idea that we had only one copy of General Order 3 left. Some history, where it's noted...

    Only known remaining original copy of order freeing enslaved Texans on display starting Juneteenth

    I had no idea that we had only one copy of General Order 3 left.

    Some history, where it's noted that "freedmen" were expected to stay in their current homes and work for pay, and wouldn't be supported in "idleness" which I think helps set a stage for what people experienced, especially as they knew they should have been legally free before General Order 3.

    2 votes
  4. DefinitelyNotAFae
    Link
    Juneteenth 1865 to 2025: Kinfolk and Family A documentary from KHOU about Black families from Africa through slavery to the present. I really liked this framing!

    Juneteenth 1865 to 2025: Kinfolk and Family
    A documentary from KHOU about Black families from Africa through slavery to the present.
    I really liked this framing!

    1 vote