"Arkansas is well known for its rich tradition of upland folk arts. Little, however, has been reported from the lowland areas, particularly on African American contributions to the state's cultural heritage. A Piece of My Soul: Quilts by Black Arkansans seeks to rectify that oversight by drawing attention to the extensive, important collection of African American quilts in the Old State House Museum in Little Rock.". "Over seventy-five individual pieces of patchwork art are presented in this publication in full-color plates, each with a commentary by the exhibit's guest curator, Cuesta Benberry. The book details the importance of quilting to black Arkansans; the quilt's uses, materials, and construction; and what each piece says about the artist and her beliefs. We are granted a glimpse into the living conditions and cultural mores of the quilters' lives. Regionalisms, such as the unusual custom of renaming traditional quilt patterns for things seen in the farmyard, such as in Rooster Tail or Chicken Feet, and of piecing patchwork funerary cloths to decorate coffins are discussed."--BOOK JACKET.

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