Sund y, r.15
• A dancemaker, storyteller, co­
median and droll anthropologist,
Whitley S raklan return to the
ge of the Performance Net-
ork, in a concert of 010 work .
408 W Washington Sl in Ann
Arbor. TIck s 10 $8. (313)
930-1949.
• Spiegel merchandise in the
.Communlty Arts Exhibit Hall of
th M ch gan State Fair and ex­
position Cntr, 1120 W State Fair
March 16-29. Mon-Sat 9am-
1Opm. Sun. toam-spm. Free.
onday, Mar. 16
• 3 2 1 :der Larm propaganda
- Th exhibit is an Installation of
work by three Detroit artists:
Tom Thewes, Jr., David Myatt.
and Bill Bowen, curated by Brad
Smith and co-sponsored by
CAID (Contemporary Art In­
stitute of Detroit). - March 16
thru April the exhibit will be on
display. Mon-Fri 9-5pm. (862-
8000, ext. 290).
W dn day, Mar. 18
• The pilothouse from the S.S.
WIlliam Clay Ford, a Great
Lakes fre ghter, will open as a
permanent exhlbitJon, at The
Doss n Great Lakes Museum 10-
ed on Bell I e 100 r
Drive. Vislto w II be bI to
walk th deck, to ch contro
and en p ng comm rcial
and recre on I on th
Detro Ai r. In ddit on, Mar.
21, they can ar a dure by Dr.
Henry Benford from U of M'
School of N Arch' ecture
11 am; vi th movi ·Gn t
Lakes Adv ntureffrlp on the
S.S. William Clay Ford· 1:30
and 3pm. (267 440).
Frld y, r.2O
• Jazz' concert/fund d lop­
ment - J zz pre entation:
Straight Ahead. Ticket: 10
thru Finally Got The
New I 12.60 at WSU Com-
munity Aud ori m 7pm.
• Dance Audition
Marygrove College Dance Dept
announces auditions for admis-
ion to the Marygrove Bachelor
of Fine Arts dance program from
3-5pm in Am 228 of the Uberal
Arts Bldg located on campus at
8425 W McNichols Ad at Wyom­
ing. Dancers are expected to
have a proficiency In either Clas-
cal Pallor Modem Dance.
Scholarships are &vaJiable fo in­
coming students. Call for an
audition. (862-5200' or 862-
8000,
T bl rvatlon
go n for the Detro HI on-
cal Society Guild' Annu I
B fit Flea Mark to be held
April 4 & 5 t Hi orical Fort
W yn , 6325 W Jeff on from
10am-4pm. Deadline for tab e
r ervatlon Is arch 20. Inter-
ad in reserving a table call
(313/657-7450). Tabl re rva­
tion ar 15 per day - 25 both
days. Proceeds from table
Nation '11 be used to up-
port Hi oric Fort Wayne, which
h had to clo due to recent
budg cut. Admission FREE.
S turd y, r.21
• Three generations of the
Ishangi Family returns to
Youtheatre. The ensemble per­
forms authentic African songs,
dances and demonstrations.
Their show Is an adventure In
African culture, rich in vigorous
rhythms, exotic melodies and
folklore. 11 am. and 2pm. Detroit
Institute of Arts auditorium, 5200
Woodward. Tickets $6 per adult
or child; $5 each in groups of 10
or more. (833-2323).
• The L.I.F.T. Benefit Banquet
7pm at the I nternational Con­
ference Cntr, 400 Monroe in
o'Kindred Spirits' to premiere on PBS
Contemporary African-American art and the artlata who create It are the aubJ ct. of -Kindred
Splrlta: Contemporary Afrlcan-Amerlcn Artlata, - a half-hour speela' f aturlng poet Maya Angelou
that will preml re Wedn day, March 25, at 10:30 p.m. ETon PBS (check locaillstlnga). Th. apeelal
wa. In.pl� d by - Black Art - Anceatral L gacy: The African Impul •• In African-American Art, -
an acclaimed art exhibition that originated at the Dall .. Mua.um of Art in 1989 and vlalted thr
other major American muaeum •• the exhibition Included ree nt work. by 48 artlata from the United
Stat and the Caribbean. Artist Jean Lacy (above) la among tho. f aturid In Kindred Spirit •
New Breed of Black Filmmakers
R.dIOSCop •.•. Th. Column
From s.J/ey BroIIdc.dng �
VI. S.". SYndication .
cinematography award, Dash has
had little luck with studio financing.
In 1991, an unprecencJented 19
films were released by African­
American men. So where are the
ftlms by aDd about Black women?
A top notch group of talented
African-American female direc­
tors, writers and producers are get­
ting lost in the Hollywood huftle.
But despite Hollywood' resis­
tance, Black women working be­
hind the camera are dctermlDcd to
make their voices heard and their
images seen.
Filmmaker Julie Dash is just one
of thase women who's decided to
do it for herself. She wrote, directed
and co-produced her first featwe
ftlm "Doughten of 1M Dust". The
film opened in JanU8J)', bowing in
only. few small theaters in select
cilies across the country.
Even thougb her fUm has
Jeceived rave reviews and the 1991
Sundance Film Featival be t
THE BLACK WOMEN trying
to break through in Hollywood are
experience filmmakers with award­
winning features, stills, it's young
white men, fresh out of college,
with no more than-a short film under
their belts, who get studio support.
Mainly because Hollywood
believes that filIm by Black women
featuring strong Black female char-
ders are not commercially viable.
According to Dash, many white
male studio heads are "afraid to take
a chance on Black women
filmmakers" .
AI Black women not only bat-,
tle racial stereotypes, but sexist ones
a well. Helaine Head, who's
directed uch shows as "LA. Law"
and "FranJc's Place", ys women
are consistently passed over for big
budget, action stories due to the 00-
lion that women are more comfort­
able with small, personal am .
"Being commercially viable is
nothing if you have to sacrifice your
creative integrity", says filmmaker
Neema Barnette. Barnette recently
landed a three picture deal with
ColumbiL According to ber, inde­
pendent Black women filmmakeR
have a rough time in Hollywood
because they won't compromise
their scrip or style to satisfy the
status quo. Consequently, they're
been blackballed or passed over.
Despite the troubles, there is a
positive ide. Black women are
now making inroads into the execu­
tive ranks at major studios. Having
someone who under tands the
"Black experience" and a woman's
point of view has helped Black
women to make a dent in film and
television. With Barnette, Dash
and Debbie Allen leading a pack of
up-and-coming film and 1V h0pe­
fuls, 1992 just might be the year of
Black woman in Hollywood.
•
I
oryo
Quilting is an ancient art which
scholars believe began in Italy, the
Far East, or North Mrica. Europe
learned of the beauty and warmth of
quilts in the 11 th and 12th centuries
from Crusaders returning from the
Middle East who wore quilted
material beneath their armor.
Quilting began wi th the discovery
that two layers of fabric could form
a warm coverlet if separated by an
insulating filler and held together by
sturdy stitches called counter points
or quilt points. As the craft evolved,
these stitches were worked into
elaborate decorative patterns.
The first quilted bedcovers
produced in America were close to
their English prototypes as memory
and a limited supply of imported
yardgoods permitted. The high cost
and scarci ty of materials led to im­
provisation. Thrifty women of the
New World recycled every usable
scrap 'of retired clothing, bedding ,
and upholstery fabric. The result was
a "hit and miss" or "crazy quilt."
When cheap, colorful fabrics be­
came available, the crazy quilts were
joined by complicated pieced and
patched designs. The quilt became a
"canvas" on which a woman could
paint with fabric, expressing her in­
nate sense of color and form.
CLASS REUNION
• Commerce & E. Commerce
High School's of DetrOit, MI.
Classes of 1950, 1951, 1952 &
1953. Tentative Date: Nov. 7,
1992. Call: (313) 746-9643.
• MACKENZIE CLASS
AEUNION - Classes of 1951,
1952 & 1953. Tentative date:
10/1992 Information: 746-9643.
block with her name embroidered in
the center. The talk at the quilting
bee was usually of a religious or
philosophical nature. Susan B. An­
thony gave her first talk on equal
rights at such a bee.
In the mid-18th century appli­
qued quilts came into favor. Quilting
in the North was a necessity, but in
the South it was the epitome of
refinement. The pieced quilt was
then considered inferior to the
elaborately appliqued quilts which
were being done by plantation
mistresses. Appliqued work reached
its peak around 1850.
IN THE MIDDLE of the 19th
century, the crazy patchwork of silk
and velvet, handpainted and
embroidered with silk and metal
threads, became popular. This
patchwork was done in the North and
OU C E T
Ev ry Worn
pon or th fi Famo E
Woman' A tc S I , May 8 d
9. Th n opportunity to cl
out that old toaster or that
b eoon glove. Don on are
n eded nd will p ad up on
Thursday during th month of
March and April. It m ar tax
deductible d monl r ad
the ale will go' directly to fund
helter, aC!Vocacy and upport
ervlce to batter d, un­
employed and homel
children and women in Mu
kegon County. The e will be
held at the Amazon Bldg, 1010
Mart Street, downtown Mu - .
kegon. (726-4492).
Send all news
and information
to: Michigan
Citizen, P.O. Box
03560, Highland
Park� MI 48203
South. To own a silk crazy quilt was
a status symbol. People too poor to .
own one were pitied. Embroidery
was used 0 exclusively that the
patches ere almost obliterated.
These quilts were fine enough to be
used in the parlor and were called
"slumber robes" or "couch throws."
Patchwork died down in the early
20th century, but had another revival
in the 1930's due to the Depression.
During that period it reached a per­
fection of color combination and
needlecraft hat surpassed earlier
works. There were quilt shows
across the country and the county fair
stimulated competition.
Today, early quilters would be
astonished to see their work �ging
on museum walls. The story of the
qui! t is the record of the human fami­
ly. It is a legacy for. future genera­
tions.
Listen to WDET Radio 101.9 FM
Each Sunday 2am - 7am
Call In 577-1019
Jl RI!CORD. JJ
. HOME OF
U FAMOUS COACHMAN"
NEW. OLD STYLE MUSIC
RECORDS • TAPES • CD'. • 45'.
BLUES JAZZ. 'SPIRITUALS POP(U.AR
�� R'B BLANKS NEEDLES ACCE'S8S0RIEI
� •. MAIL ORDERS ACCTD • SLUES DISTRIIlUTOIf
(313) 571-2222
63040 CHARLEV�IX· NEAR MT. ELLIOTT· DETROIT, MI
Across From
Detroit Athletic Club
THE SETTLERS ALONG the
middle Atlantic coast are credited
with the ornamental phases and the
vigor of expression manifested
before and after the Revolutionary
War period. In colonial America,
during the confinement of winter,
women spent their spare time piec­
ing and patching quilt blocks in the
kitchen. When spring came, the
blocks were assembled and a border
was added. Invitations were then
sent to the neighbors for a quilting
bee.
A quilting bee was second in im­
portance only to meetings of a
religious nature. The women would
breakfast at five or six o'clock and
arrive early. Work would begin at
once. At eleven o'clock, the workers
were called to dinner. Afterwards, it
was back to the quilt which had to be
finished before the men returned for
supper at five o'clock. The fiddler
would arrive and dancing would
begin. When the quilt was .intended
'for some special purpose the frolic -
lng was even gayer.
Specialty quilts were made as
keep akes, for betrothal,
friendships, and ministers. Each
patch of material in a keepsake quilt
told ome part of a family's life. A
bethrothal quilt w the 13th of a
baker' dozen of quilts made for a
young woman' dowry. Quilts made
in recognition of a friendship or a
mi,nister (album quilt) were of a *F · FREE h d'
����E�w�nm�a� n �O_ffi __ O_e_u_v_r_e_s �
CLUB 246 MADISON AVE.
964-2324
Kitchen open
Mon-Fri 11 :30-Bpm
*Cool Out After Work
Mon-Frl 5-10pm
OJ Fresh spinning Oldies.bu1 Goodies & Blues
•