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Meeting ID: 816 8458 9302

Passcode: 700sZM

In this mesmerizing presentation, Connie Martin tells the history of the Underground Railroad, safe routes, and the stories of how the quilt codes, their meanings and interpretations that have been passed down to her - a sixth generation descendant of captured African slaves forced into slavery in America.

Connie begins this presentation by telling the history of her family who were slaves captured in West Africa and survived the Middle Passage. She tells her family’s stories of secrecy, codes, and fugitive slave escape routes from South to North, which was revealed in an information-packed family Bible found dated 1865.

Connie also tells the origin of the Underground Railroad, and reveals key famous abolitionists, slave routes passing through our counties in Illinois, and shows the quilt code on slides and fabric quilt pattern, along with instances of special stitching used in over a dozen beautifully hand-crafted quilt replicas each sewn by Connie’s mother especially for this presentation.

Sponsored by Village Bank and Trust