Page 37 - JOA August 2020

Robert and Helen Cargo Collection of African-

American Quilts at the International Quilt Museum

he International Quilt Museum at the While most of the quilts were made during
University of Nebraska-Lincoln is the last quarter of the 20th century, the
Thome to the world’s largest publicly collection also features significant pre-1950
held quilt collection. With quilts spanning five works. Many of the quilts were purchased
centuries and more than 55 countries, the directly from the makers. A professor at the
museum is focused on creating an encyclopedic University of Alabama and the owner of the
collection. That is, a collection that represents Folk Art Gallery in Tuscaloosa, Robert Cargo
the depth and breadth of quilts and quilt came to know them well as he visited and
making traditions throughout history and photographed them at work in their homes.
around the globe. This documentation of the makers and their
quilts makes this collection particularly signifi-
THE COLLECTORS cant. In most cases, collectors do not have

One of the gems in specific provenance for antique quilts.
the IQM’s world-class Cargo began building his collection of
collection is The Alabama quilts in the late 1950s after inheriting
Collection encompasses a number of quilts from his great-grandmother.
156 quilts made by He decided early to focus his efforts primarily
African-American on Alabama quilts and assembled a collection
women primarily from that became widely regarded as one of the most
Alabama. More than important quilt collections in the United States.
32 quilt makers are Starting around 1980, Cargo concentrated
represented in this more on African-American quilts from Alabama The oldest quilt in the collection,
collection, including with a few examples from several other states of maker unknown, circa 1910-1920,
Dr. Robert Cargo the Deep South. possibly made in Guntersville, Alabama
folk artists Nora Ezell,
Mary Maxtion, Lureca Outland, and “As a group, these quilts have the qualities International Quilt Museum Robert and Helen Cargo Collection
2000.004.0003.
Yvonne Wells. that excite me as I grow older – bold,
eccentric, idiosyncratic, improvisational, brightly colored,” Cargo said in an interview.
HERITAGE
African-American quilts are a critical segment of quilt history. They reflect the diverse
traditions that merge to form our American quilt heritage. African-American quilts come in every
imaginable style: traditional patterns and original patterns, bold colors and subdued colors, and
pieced quilts and story quilts. Like all American quilts, they vary from region to region, from era
to era, and from person to person.

NORA EZELL
The late Nora Ezell is among the
best-known quilt artists in the Cargo
Collection. After receiving widespread
attention in the early 1980s for her quilt
dedicated to the life of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., Nora Ezell went on to
show her quilts at Stillman College and
at the Alabama Artist’s Gallery. Most
notably, she received a National
Heritage Fellowship from the National
Endowment for the Arts. You can see her
work in her 1998 book, My Quilts and
Me published by Black Belt Press.
Her quilts are often lively, colorful
explorations of traditional pieced patterns.
Nora McKeown Ezell, Everybody Quilt,
Nora McKeown Ezell, Gambler’s Dream,
dated 1995 in Eutaw, Greene County, Alabama dated 1985 in Eutaw, Greene County, Alabama
International Quilt Museum Robert and Helen Cargo Collection
International Quilt Museum Robert and Helen Cargo Collection
2000.004.0025. 2000.004.0031.

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