Enslaved people traveling the Underground Railroad risked death if they spoke aloud about their plans to flee. Instead, the story goes, they communicated in code through quilts hung on clotheslines.
A quilted “monkey wrench” pattern referenced a blacksmith who traveled between plantations indicating when it was safe to escape. A “bear’s paw” quilt block referenced the winding path one would have to take through the woods. The “bowtie” pattern advised dressing in one’s finest garments, as a disguise.
The authenticity of this story is the subject of debate, but its reflection of resourcefulness, ingenuity, and tribulations continues to inspire…