The Glassell School of Art, Community Artists’ Collective, and Jubilee Quilt Circle collaborate on a dynamic quilting exhibition.

Patterns of Liberation: The Quilt Code of the Underground Railroad celebrates the creative expression of quilting and its connection to the Underground Railroad. The exhibition brings a vibrant light to a unique story, revealing a common thread woven into the complex fabric of American history.

Over the course of several months, members of the Jubilee Quilt Circle, a program of the Community Artists’ Collective, researched textile designs on display at the MFAH and honed their artistic skills in classes at the Glassell School. The works created reflect the quilters’ unique perspectives on the once-undercover code of patterns sewn into quilts during the time of enslavement in the United States.

The quilts honor the intricate network of people who deployed textile designs as a tool of communication directing specific pathways to freedom on the Underground Railroad. These pieces of art also stand as a visual acknowledgment of the individuals who made navigation to freedom on the Underground Railroad a possibility. Colors, symbols, and thread length performed crucial roles in secretly revealing vital information to aid in moving from one checkpoint to the next, ultimately leading freedom seekers north to Canada.

The Jubilee Quilt Circle residency at the Glassell School of Art continues for the next two years.

Plan Your Visit

• Admission is free.
• The exhibition is located in Bucher Gallery on Level 2 of the Glassell School of Art.
• Parking Information | Museum Hours | MFAH Campus Map

Patterns of Liberation: The Quilt Code of the Underground Railroad / August 9–September 21, 2025