Quilt

In 1850, enslaved sisters Ellen and Margaret Morton created this Whig Rose quilt at the Knob Plantation in Russellville, Kentucky, home to sixteen enslaved people. Their enslaver, Marmaduke Morton, was a supporter of the Whig Party of which the Whig Rose was a symbol. Marmaduke and his wife Elizabeth likely requested the creation of this quilt as a political statement. Were it not for the handwritten label pinned to the back of the quilt by a descendant it might have been misattributed to Elizabeth, denying the artistic contributions of the Morton Sisters.

Their forced labor – and their talents – contributed to all stages of making this quilt. The design of the piece demanded excellent quilting skills as each of the stuffed work elements required someone to draw, stuff, and sew them shut. This process was time consuming, especially given Ellen and Margaret’s other required household tasks. The artistry displayed in this quilt is a testament to the pride Ellen and Margaret took in creating quilts.