QUILT INDEX RECORD
12-8-842
Who documented this quilt?
Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Michigan State University Museum
Michigan Quilt Project Number:
95.0021
If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:
2003:50.2
Object label:
Mr. Mandela
Beverly Ann White
Pontiac, Michigan
1990
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2003:50.2
Essay:
Beverly Ann White’s created her Mr. Mandela quilt to honor Nelson Mandela:
My statement quilts are made as a result of emotion. The inspiration for Mr. Mandela came from the very strong emotions of elation and relief I experienced when he was released from his years of captivity in South Africa.
White donated her quilts View from the Mountain Top and Nelson Mandela to the Michigan State University Museum in November 2003. The GLQC/MSU Museum's Michigan African American Quilt Collection includes over thirty-five quilts, as well as documentary materials, which reflect the wide range of individual styles and traditions found with the Michigan African-American quilting community. Quilts from this collection have been featured in Marsha MacDowell, ed., African American Quiltmaking in Michigan (Michigan State University Press, 1997).
Quilt's title:
Mr. Mandela
Names for quilt's pattern in common use:
Mariner's Compass
Quilt top made by:
White, Beverly Ann
Quilted by:
White, Beverly Ann
If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?
Made the quilt
Where the quilt was made, city:
Pontiac
Where the quilt was made, county:
Oakland
Where the quilt was made, state:
Michigan (MI)
Where the quilt was made, country:
United States
Time period:
1976-1999
When was the quilt started?
middle of February 1990
When was the quilt finished?
end of February 1990
Why was the quilt made?
Commemorative
Quilt is presently used as:
Museum collection
Quiltmaker's gender:
Female
Quiltmaker's city:
Pontiac
Quiltmaker's county:
Oakland
Quiltmaker's state:
Michigan (MI)
Quiltmaker's country:
United States
Quiltmaker's maiden name:
Holt
Quiltmaker's birth date:
9/2/1943
In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?
Urban
Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:
Afro-American; African American
Quiltmaker's educational background:
Some college
Quiltmaker's religious affiliation:
Protestant
Quiltmaker's occupation:
Self employed "Craftings by Beverly" Part time Medical records clerk
Quiltmaker's father's name:
Holt, Jr., Thomas
Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:
African-American
Quiltmaker's mother's name:
Holt, Annie Lou
Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:
African-American
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:
Supervisor, Auto GMC
Number of children:
4
How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?
2
How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?
2
How did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?
From Class
When did the quiltmaker learn to quilt?
Age 30-39
Other notes on how the quiltmaker learned, and how and why they quilt:
My "statement" quilts are made from pure emotion. I gave quilts for the birth of my nieces
Estimated number of quilts made by this quiltmaker:
5-20 quilts
Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?
yes
This is a:
Finished quilt
How wide is the quilt?
43 1/2'
How long is the quilt?
44 1/4"
Shape of edge:
Straight
Shape of corners:
Straight
What color is the quilt?
Black; Blue; Brown; Cream; Green; Yellow
Quilt's condition:
Excellent/like new
Describe the type of inscription:
Title
What is inscribed on the quilt?
"Mr. Mandela" Beverly White
What is the date inscribed on the quilt?
February 1990
Method used to make the inscription:
Ink
Location of inscription:
on back
Describe the quilt's layout:
Medallion or framed center
Number of quilt blocks:
1
Medallion size:
43 1/2" x 44 1/4"
Fiber types used to make the quilt top:
Cotton; Cotton or polyester blend
Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:
Neck tie used for the neck tie
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Machine Piecing
Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Applique
Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:
Embroidery
Embellishments used:
Cotton thread
Materials used to make the back:
Cotton
Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:
1
How is the binding made?
Back turned to front
What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?
less than a half inch
What kind of filling is used in the quilt?
Blanket or flannel
How are the layers held together?
Hand quilting
Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 1:
6
Number of quilting stitches per inch, place 2:
7
Quilting designs used, overall motifs:
Echo; Outline
Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:
My "statement" quilts are made as a result of emotion. The inspiration for Mr. Mandela came from the very strong emotions of elation and relief I experienced when he was released from his years of captivity in South Africa. Of this quilt, White says: "My statement quilts are made as a result of emotion. The inspiration for Mr. Mandela came from the very strong emotions of elation and relief I experienced when he was released from his years of captivity in South Africa." The museum has over forty African-American and African quilts, as well as quilt-related documentary materials, which reflect a wide range of individual styles and traditions found within African and African diasporic communities.
Where did the maker find their pattern?
Original to maker
Describe the source of the pattern:
Commercial (book, magazine, etc.)
Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:
Vocare School, March 1990 Quilts and Human Rights, MSU Museum, January 15 - August 24, 2008
Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:
African American Quiltmaking in Michigan (1997) book, figure 35 p. 30.
Publications (including web sites) where this quilt or maker was featured:
Patterns; Templates; Photos of quilter; Audiotape Interview by Deborah Smith Barney MSUM.
Source of the information on this quilt:
Museum employee
Ownership of this quilt is:
Public- Michigan State University Museum
Quilt owner's name:
Michigan State University Museum
Quilt owner's city:
East Lansing
Quilt owner's county:
Ingham
Quilt owner's state:
Michigan (MI)
Quilt owner's country:
United States
How was this quilt acquired?
Gift
Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:
11/3/2003, Beverly White
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?
Made entire quilt
If the source helped design the quilt, describe their input:
Designed the pattern
The quilt was made to be used for:
Artwork/wall hanging
Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:
My "statement" quilts are made as a result of emotion. The inspiration for Mr. Mandela came from the very strong emotions of elation and relief I experienced when he was released from his years of captivity in South Africa.
Describe any favorite patterns, tools, etc. used by the quiltmaker:
100% cotton (top); 80-20 batting; 100% cotton backing; quilting thread, cotton wrapped poly. Mostly lap quilting but just bought a Flynn frame.
Who photographed this quilt?
Pearl Yee Wong
Copyright holder:
Michigan State University Museum
Cite this Quilt
White, Beverly An. Mr. Mandela. end of February 1990. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-842. Accessed: 03/29/24
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Collection
African American Quilt Collection
Michigan State University Museum
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Gallery
Michigan Quilts
MacDowell, Marsha
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Exhibit
Quilts and Human Rights
MacDowell, Marsha; Worrall, Mary; Swanson, Lynne
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Gallery
Themes for Educators: Nelson Mandela a...
Sikarskie, Amanda Grace
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White, Beverly Ann Quiltmaker
Michigan African American Quilt Project