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Artist Reception & Quilt Sale: ‘A Traveling Legacy: From Gee's Bend to the Nutmeg State'
Event Details
Join us for a very special reception, artist talk, and quilt sale for A Traveling Legacy: From Gee's Bend to the Nutmeg State in the Library's South Gallery, showcasing quilts crafted by descendants of the celebrated Gee’s Bend, Alabama, who are now based in Connecticut. This exhibit is part of a multi-gallery quilting exhibition on display from December 19 through March 17.
There will be a reception from 1 to 2 pm, followed by an artist talk from 2 to 3 pm. Additionally, there will be a quilt sale from 12–5 pm that same day.
This special artist talk will feature Tangular Irby, author and expert on the Gee's Bend Quilters, along with other members of the community, who will share their rich histories that span their family’s migration north, their fight for civil rights, and the art and craft of quilting as it relates to their stories; as well as the appropriation of their history and craft.
About the Exhibit
This winter, The Westport Library will feature a multi-gallery quilting exhibition that will span the Sheffer, South, and Jesup Galleries from December 19, 2025, through March 17, 2026. Like a patchwork quilt itself, the show will weave together three distinct yet interconnected exhibits — each exploring how art and narrative bind communities across generations and geographies.
The South Gallery will display A Traveling Legacy: From Gee’s Bend to the Nutmeg State, showcasing quilts crafted by descendants of the celebrated Gee’s Bend, Alabama, who are now based in Connecticut. This exhibit traces the enduring legacy of Dinah Miller — one of the first documented Gee’s Bend quilters — and her descendants’ journey from Africa to Alabama to Bridgeport.
About Tangular Irby
Tangular A. Irby is a speaker, author, and educator. She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, a master's in the Art of Teaching, and a 6th Year in Educational Leadership. She has worked professionally with all grade levels, Pre-K through 12.
She is the host of The Legacy of our African American Lives Podcast and has published seven books, including Pearl and her Gee’s Bend Quilt. Her love of children's literature developed during her time as a second grade teacher. Tangular is the proud granddaughter of Gee’s Bend quilters Pearlie Kennedy Pettway and Jensie Lee Irby. Sharing their history is her way to honor their legacy.
Tangular has traveled, virtually and in-person, sharing her story with schools, libraries, quilt guilds and parent groups with the goal of inspiring others to research and document their own stories.
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For more about the Library art exhibits, visit the Art at the Library page.
The Westport Library is committed to intellectual freedom, inclusivity, and lifelong learning. Our mission is to provide welcoming spaces for the free exchange of ideas. The Library does not endorse or condemn points of view, including any program content or the views expressed by presenters or participants.
