Trivia 10-1-15 True or False

[James N.]

Certainly, as illustrated by this reproduction Underground Railroad quilt displayed earlier this year by the group of lady quilters at Camp Ford Prison Park, Tyler, Texas.

 

[MaryDee]

For the most part, false.

I've heard this legend (which evidently started in the late 20th century) debunked a number of times, including a lecture by well-known ACW expert Susan Lyons Hughes at a workshop in Oregon City, OR, July 2013--the first I'd ever heard of this story.

Wikipedia actually has a well-documented article (not always true for them!), which I'm quoting here since it's not as lengthy as some:
Here's another article: http://www.quilthistory.com/ugrrquilts.htm

In a visit to the Underground Railroad museum in Cincinnati, OH (on a very soggy July 4, 2013) I didn't see anything about quilts; I assume therefore that they also reject the legend.

It appears to be a charming story but with little, if any, factual basis.

 

[HardeeBoy]

True. Exclusionary Flags often incorporated the North Star/Polaris as a guide for those seeking their freedom.

Check out this sweeeeeet flag here. http://www.rareflags.com/RareFlags_Showcase_IAS_00400.htm

Edit - Welcome to the trivia game, HardeeBoy. Your source appears to be based on flag patterns, rather than quilt patterns, but you will get credit for your answer.

Hope you'll come back and play some more.

Hoosier

 

[sarladaise]

False - though it makes a nice story.

 

[bixby272]

true

 

[War Horse]

True

 

[lelliott19]

I'm going with False.

"There is no evidence for such a code, says Giles Wright, director of the Afro-American History Program at the New Jersey Historical Commission. "I know of no historian who supports this idea, and it's extremely rare to get that kind of consensus." http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2007/06/24/were-quilts-used-as-underground-railroad-maps​

 

[Seduzal]

False

 

[hoosier]

False. The idea that quilt patterns were used for this purpose is a 20th century legend.

 

[Allie]

According to who? There is good evidence that the "quilt code" is a hoax, and no contemporary evidence that anyone associated with the Underground Railroad ever used quilts for anything more than warmth, but there are whole books which claim it to be true. I'm going with false. But I have no idea what source you're using for your answer.

 

[chellers]

credit for question

 

[PeterT]

False. Seems to be more folklore without the evidence.

 

[DickWilliams]

True

 

[E_just_E]

False. Urban legend that started in the 20th century. Pretty good treatise here.

 

[Joshua Cude]

true

Edit - Welcome to the trivia game, Joshua Cude.

Hope you'll come back and play some more.

Hoosier

 

[ami]

Answer: False, it's a myth that erroneously has been passed down for generations, and continues to be taught today.

Edit - I have reviewed the sources presented by our players in support of both the "True" and "False" sides.

In my opinion, the arguments on the "False" side are decidedly more convincing.

That said, it has been my practice in scoring these questions to give credit for answers that differ from the official correct answer, as long somebody presents a source that supports the alternate answer, as long as I agree that the source does, in fact, support the answer. The source submitted by Faraway Friend supports an answer of "True." And as Allie pointed out, there are other sources, even whole books, that support the answer of True.

So, everybody who answered this question is going to get 10 points.

But please, don't go around telling people that the assistant host of the trivia game at civilwartalk.com says it's true that quilts were used to give signals for the Underground Railroad.

Hoosier