Jessie Telfair
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Jessie Telfair | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 1, 1913 Parrott, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | October 3, 1986 (aged 73) Parrott, Georgia, U.S. |
| Known for | Freedom Quilt |
Jessie Bell “Sis” Williams Telfair (January 1, 1913 – October 3, 1986) was an American textile artist known for her quilt art.
Telfair was born in Terrell County, Georgia, the daughter of Ada Oxford Williams and Jim Williams, a farmer and carpenter. She learned to quilt from her mother.[1] She married Samuel David Telfair, a farmer, and they had two daughters.[2]
In 1963, Telfair decided to register to vote in her hometown of Parrott, Georgia, after encouragement from the by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.[3] She was fired her from her job as an elementary school cafeteria worker.[4] She made a red, white, and blue quilt in 1975 which she called Missing Pieces which had the word FREEDOM on it six times as an affirmation of her personal freedom. The quilt is a 73-inch-by-87-inch pieced and appliqued cotton quilt.[1] Telfair exhibited her quilts at local folk festivals during her lifetime.[5] Her original quilt was purchased by American folklife dealer and collectors Dr. and Mrs. Ng in 1981.[1]