Visual Blogging 3: Culturally-Laden Signage

The symbolic patchwork pattern known as a “log cabin” block contains culturally significant meaning. The traditional blocks were almost always constructed with red centers to signify the desire to “keep the home fires burning.” Recent research on the Underground Railroad that flourished during the Civil War, however, has uncovered a modified block pattern that was used to identify “safe houses” for runaways on their way north. Sympathetic safe house hosts would hang log cabin quilts on their wash lines or over porch rails… but these quilts were constructed of blocks that contained black fabric at their centers, not the traditional red “hearth fires”. These special quilts were supposedly very successful in the conveyance of their special, secret message. Logically composed of balanced “stick or log-like” components, these conceptually rich “signs” were woven images that delivered their important message to select audience. Thus, with a properly identified audience and purpose, these quilted “signs” would have been highly successful communications.