The story of the VFTE “Roll Call USCT” Civil War Quilt…

The quilt is done and the raffle has begun! 100% cotton 76” X 88” pieced quilt and hand quilted. 18 pairs of hands have done the hand quilting on this symbolic quilt, 36 caring hands that stand against race hate and intolerance. They started the long process of designing, gathering, cutting, piecing and sewing the quilt in December and finished May 8, 2013. This year’s quilt is called “Roll Call USCT” in honor of the United States Colored Troops serving from 1863-1866, in more than 160 federal regiments. They were fighting for their own freedom and the honor of the national dream of equality. That promise was the highlight of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln and the Congress in September of 1862. Once it was enacted in January of 1863 men of African descent were actively recruited to legally aid in the efforts of their own freedom. Their story is one of the lesser known facts in shaping the ideals and practice of brotherhood, valor and courage in America.
The design of the quilt is based on the “18 Patch” and the “Around the World” patterns to represent the strength and power of the troops on the battle fields.  Ilene Evans, the quilt designers said, “The earth into which they bled did not know the color of the men’s skins, they bled and died for a common belief, that all should share in the promise of equality and freedom.” Not all the colonels and generals for the USCT were abolitionists at the start of the war, but seeing these men in action changed their minds and they came to see the worthy and just cause into which they led these brave soldiers. Each of the 12 blocks stands for the men and their commanders – men who bore the collected hatred of the confederacy – whose “take no quarter policy” for the Black regiments and their officers led many massacred on the fields.
The VFTE “Roll Call USCT” Civil War Quilt was Hand quilted by : Ida Murphy, Mary Jane Smith, Tena Black, Nancy Lesher, Melissa Brown, Dolores Kelley Katherine Knotts, Mary Watring, Mary Mullenax,  Eva Rudy, Jackie Burns, Ilene Evans, Veronica Staron, Karen Cuppett, Alice, Nancy  Moore* Karen Peterson  and Ruth Bullwinkle.
The raffle drawing will be on the opening night of the presentation of the new work of historical storytelling called Roll Call: Stories from the Brave Black Regiments of the Civil War.
Performances: 8:00 pm September 26, 27 and 28 at M.T. Pockets Theater in Morgantown, WV.
For raffle tickets and more information contact:
www.vfte.org                                     304-463-5461