PHOTOS: Revered quilter is honored in Athens

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Scholars consider Harriet Powers to be the most important American artist in the story quilt tradition though only two of her creations survive. Born a slave in 1837 on a plantation in neighboring Madison County, Harriet Powers married her husband in 1855, moved to Clarke County. She was honored with a new headstone in Athens on Dec. 2, 2023.

The quilting community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

The Athens community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens. The original grave marker had Powers' first name spelled with two t's, so the new one follows suit. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Sandy Benjamin-Hannibal gathered with the quilting community to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Dr. Alyse Minter, a decendent of Harriet Powers spoke to those gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Members of the Athens community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Frank Rittenberry was among the Athen community who gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Fred Smith, Executive Director of the Athens Development Corp and Athens Association for the study of African-American Life and History member speaks to the crowd who gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Carolyn L. Mazloomi, founder of Women of Color Quilters Network, speaks to a crowd gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Athens mayor Kelly Girtz speaks to the crowd gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Rev. Dr. R.A. Hunter leads the ceremony for those who gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Author Kyra Hicks speaks to members of the community who gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Author Kyra Hicks hugs Hope Inglehart as they gather to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Gospel Pilgrim Cemeteryvwas the site for the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Juandamarie Gikandi (far right), of Princeton, New Jersey, shows a replica of a Powers quilt to Bennie Roberson, Edith Fraser and Aminata Balde of Athens after they gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Juandamarie Gikandi, of Princeton, NJ, shows a replica of a Powers quilt to Jan Hollins of Atlanta (far right), after the dedication ceremony. The community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Juandamarie Gikandi, of Princeton, New Jersey, shows a replica of a Powers quilt to Shanell McGoy Powers, of Athens and Jan Hollins of Atlanta, after the dedication ceremony. The community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

The community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. The original grave marker had Powers' first name spelled with two t's, so the new one follows suit. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Rev. Dr. R.A. Hunter stands by the new headstone after the quilting community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. The original grave marker had Powers' first name spelled with two t's, so the new one follows suit. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Author and quilter Kyra HIcks speaks to the community who gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

The call and medley "We're Climbing Jacob's Ladder & Glory" was performed by Kamela, Kamron, Kamden and Mamaria Lawrence with Kaden Montiero on drums as the community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

Kyra Hicks (right), author and quilter waits to speak with Hope Inglehart and Mayor Kelly Girtz as they gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

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Credit: Nell Carroll special to Journal-Constitution

The quilting community gathered to celebrate the recommittal and dedication of a new headstone for Harriet and Armstead Powers Saturday December 2, 2023 at the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery in Athens, GA. Powers was an emancipated slave whose quilts can be seen at the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC

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