Quilting a History with Marion Coleman

In 2018, Bay Area master artist Marion Coleman was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the nation's highest honor for folk and traditional arts. In this video, Marion shares the history and practice of African-American quilting with ACTA's Special Projects Manager Lily Kharrazi. Raised in a family of quilters, Marion now uses the art form to tell stories of African-American history and culture, social justice, and womanhood. The cultural art of quilting that has been handed down for generations empowers Marion to share her distinctive way of looking at the world through color and pattern.

The NEA National Heritage Fellowship is the highest form of recognition for the folk and traditional arts by the United States government. Learn more: arts.gov/honors/heritage

Video produced by Sara Aguilar in association with the Alliance for California Traditional Arts and the National Council for Traditional Arts for the National Endowment for the Arts.