Dr. J. Janice Coleman, professor of English at Alcorn State University, will present a series of lectures featuring her quilt work that explores the intersection of African American history, literature, and textile art at various venues throughout Mississippi this spring.

Coleman’s presentations, scheduled from February through April, will highlight the storytelling power of quilting. Her work engages with historical figures such as Fannie Lou Hamer and literary works like A Raisin in the Sun, treating the quilt as a narrative text similar to a book.

“The quilt is an art form that sometimes serves as my TA (therapeutic art),” said Coleman. “Several times over the years, I have entered the classroom with quilted works to demonstrate to my students what a quilt pattern is when we are discussing Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’ or to show students the difference between a quilted quilt and a knotted quilt when we are discussing Susan Glaspell’s Trifles. These demonstrations allow me to move literature from the printed page to a realm of material culture.”

The series includes the following dates and locations:

  • Saturday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m.: “Quilting the Life of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer: An American Icon,” Lincoln County Public Library, 100 South Jackson St., Brookhaven, Miss.

  • Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m.: “Exploring the Shared Legacy of Tougaloo College and Alcorn State University through Quilts,” Alcorn State University J. D. Boyd Library, Medgar Wiley Evers Auditorium, Lorman, Miss.

  • Saturday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m.: “Three Years in the Life of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer: An American Catalyst for Change,” Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration, Natchez Convention Center, Tupelo Room, 211 Main St., Natchez, Miss.

  • Wednesday, March 18, at 4 p.m.: “Three Years in the Life of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer: An American Catalyst for Change,” Mississippi University for Women, Building TBA, 1100 College St., W-220, Columbus, Miss.

  • Wednesday, April 8, at noon: “The Hansberry Family, Alcorn A. & M. College, and A Raisin in the Sun: The Curious Connections,” History Is Lunch Presentation, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, 222 North St., #2205, Jackson, Miss.

Coleman draws inspiration from the women in her family who practiced the art form, piecing together the documentaries of their own lives. She views quilting not only as a vintage craft but as a versatile, academically significant medium.

“Quilting is academically significant because, like a book, a quilt is a text,” said Coleman. “One can read it just as one reads a book by studying its patterns and their meanings, the choice of the colors within, the stitching in the quilt, the intended use of the quilt, and the level of expertise that the finished product reveals.”

One of her featured works, “Is This America?”, acknowledges the social activism of Fannie Lou Hamer and her efforts to secure voting rights. Coleman notes that she often includes the pinwheel pattern in her work to remind viewers to keep moving forward despite difficulties.

“I really do live by the mantra, ‘When life gives you scraps, make quilts,’” said Coleman.