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Michigan State University

Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway: Gee’s Bend Quilting Collective

WHERE:
MSU Multicultural Center

WHEN:
February 26, 2026

WHAT:
Talks, Panels, and Presentations

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ABOUT

February 26, 2026 | 5:30pm

MSU Multicultural Center, East Lansing, MI

MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine Annual Dr. William G. Anderson Lecture Series gives the community opportunities to interact with multicultural leaders from education, business, industry, entertainment and government. For 26 years, this series has featured living icons of the American Civil Rights Movement and community change makers. All activities are offered at no cost, thanks to the support of our generous sponsors, and can be attended in person or virtually.

Mary Ann and China have created hundreds of quilt masterpieces from the early 20th century to the present. Many of their quilts are in traveling exhibits that have been all around the United States, including the Smithsonian and here at MSU. The quilting tradition in Gee’s Bend can be traced as far as the early 1800s. (Back then, the Gee’s Bend women created quilts to keep themselves warm in unheated shacks that didn’t have running water, telephones, or electricity. It’s not just a skill – it’s a language and has been passed down for generations). The Gee’s Bend Quilters’ Collective holds quilting workshops throughout the country. It’s a ministry that has even taken them to Vice President Kamala Harris’ home.

Register to attend virtually or in person.