QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-6363

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Quilts and Health; Quilts and Human Rights

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

14.0001

Quilt's title:

Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School Student Memorial Quilt

Subject of the quilt:

Quilts and Human Rights

When was the form filled out?

2/1/2014

Quilt top made by:

High, Roger; Hughes, Elizabeth; Lucas, Doris; Martin, Sarah; Van Horn, Ellie; Pamp-Ettinger, Becky; Wagner, Colleen

Name of the group that made the quilt:

In Stitches Quilt Group

Where the quilt was made, city:

Mt. Pleasant

Where the quilt was made, county:

Isabella

Where the quilt was made, state:

Michigan (MI)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2013

Why was the quilt made?

Commemorative; Memorial

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

Native American

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

89 1/2"

How long is the quilt?

112"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Burgundy; White

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Signature; Multiple Names

Describe the type of inscription:

Names are painted in white on the back of the quilt.

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Mt. Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School Mt. Pleasant Michigan

What is the date inscribed on the quilt?

1893 1934

Describe the method used to inscribe the quilt:

Appliqued and painted

Location of inscription:

multiple locations

Describe the quilt's layout:

Medallion or framed center

Number of borders:

1

Describe the borders:

Flowering vine, hand raw edge applique with buttonhole stitch in #8 pearl cotton

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Number of pieces of fabric in the quilt back:

3, red brick cotton print with names painted in white

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Separate binding applied; Bias grain; Front turned to back

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Cotton

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

Patches outlined/in the ditch

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public-Other

Quilt owner's name:

Ziibiwing Center for Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways

Quilt owner's city:

Mt. Pleasant

Quilt owner's county:

Isabella

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan works with boarding school descendants to honor their family members who were forced to endure a new way of life, and to celebrate the preservation of culture, language and spirituality. We have been researching the names of students at the school who we know died or were listed as missing. We are writing their names on the back of the quilt. When we first finished the quilt in 2013 we had 190 names, now we are up to 210 and we are constantly discovering new names to add. Many of the children we now know died of tuberculosis or influenza, diseases that were introduced to our people from outside. We know some of them were sent home, deathly ill and barely alive, so that the school could avoid both the stigma of the death or the expense of a funeral or sending a body back. When the children got home they infected their families and now we are trying to document those who died because of exposure from a student. Other students died because of mysterious circumstances; they were said to have drowned, fallen down stairs, or from heat stroke (likely from being overworked from mandatory labor chores at the school). Some were listed as having run away from school to home but their families have no records of them ever returning home. Some are listed as cause of death unknown or, even more simply, 'passed.' Many families have no idea where their children were buried. The school closed in June 6, 1934. The quilt itself and the documentation work that the Ziibiwing team is doing is providing comfort to those whose ancestors were part of this cruel period of history. — Robin Spencer

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

The quilt was made to be used for:

Artwork/wall hanging

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees