Coverlet

The names of many enslaved women textile workers remain unknown. This coverlet, attributed to “the Head weaving woman” of enslaver William Crowdus’s plantation in Marion County, Kentucky, reveals the difficulties in identifying enslaved Black craftspeople. Extant records list the names of enslaved women on the plantation, one of whom was possibly the “Head weaving woman”: Hannah, Jane, Milla, Eliza, Maria, Tessa, Rachel, or Lucy. What is known is that this coverlet was woven by a skilled female weaver. It is made from locally produced cotton and indigo-dyed wool.

Of course, during her lifetime, the “Head weaving woman’s” name was known, and she and others may have taken pride in her work. Her detailed weaving and dyeing live on through this beautifully crafted coverlet. While her name has yet to be rediscovered, sharing narratives of unnamed craftspeople, particularly women, expands our historical memory and serves as a step toward ending archival erasure.