The Gee’s Bend Quilting Tradition

Resembling an inland island, Gee’s Bend is surrounded on three sides by the Alabama River. The approximately 700 residents of this small rural community are mostly descendants of those enslaved on the local Gee, and later Pettway, plantation established in 1816, a demography distinct even among Southern rural communities.

The women of Gee’s Bend have created countless quilting masterpieces dating from the early nineteenth century to the present day, artworks that are rooted in the resilience of the Black families that have remained on this land through generations of exploitation, political upheaval, and relative geographic isolation. Driven by a visual imagination that pushes the expressive boundaries of the quilt genre, these astonishing creations constitute a crucial contribution to the history of American art. The quiltmakers have earned international recognition and acclaim, with exhibitions showcasing their work held in museums and galleries across the U.S. and beyond. Their renown has firmly established Gee’s Bend as a rising cultural tourism destination.

What makes Gee’s Bend truly unique is that it remains a vibrant community where an unbroken quiltmaking tradition, unparalleled in American art, continues to flourish more than two centuries after it began. In this rural area shaped by generations of economic underinvestment, Sew Gee’s Bend Heritage Builders is committed to fostering entrepreneurship, expanding local economic opportunities, and strengthening the community’s future, ensuring that both the people of Gee’s Bend and their extraordinary artistic legacy continue to thrive for generations to come.