Gee's Bend Quilters Collective, Alabama

Gee's Bend is a celebrated creative community in Alabama. It was here that, due to the isolation and creativity of its denizens, a unique form of quilt patterning emerged based on African traditions, yet cut, literally, from American cloth. Composed of about fifty of the women of the community, the quilters collective at Gee's Bend has had their work shown in museums around the country. Most of the quilters are direct descendants of slaves who were brought to work on what started out as Mr. Gee's plantation, on a bend on the Alabama River. Though today Gee's Bend is officially called Boykin, it is still remote, located at the end of what remains one of the longest dead-end roads in the state. Quilting still goes on in the community center in town.