The Content of Their Character
The Story Behind This Antique Quilt and the History of the African American Family That Made It
by
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The Teddy Hill band caught the attention of dancers at the Savoy ballroom during the mid 1930’s and one particular dancer, Josephine Baker was so enamored of the band and its swinging style that she took the band with her when she made a return visit to France. She knew some of the band members from work at other shows. One of these shows entitled Shuffle Along was written and directed by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake and she was quite comfortable with what they could do for a show as back up to her dancing and stage antics. The band technically would be her stage band and the aim was to feature a dancer’s craft. Although she later had a reputation as a singer her main focus on this tour was her dancing. The effect was quite a visual, voyeuristic treat when she added some rather skimpy costumes that accented her shapely body in a most complementary fashion. The show was well appreciated in particular by French raconteurs who frequented places like the Moulin Rouge known for its atmosphere of decadence in entertainment considered risqué at the time. This was just the place for Josephine Baker for she took delight in the great following she was now developing in not only in France but in an expanding European presence. Whether it was a good place for the band or not is undecided, as the tour was rather short lived, largely due to Josephine Baker’s exotic and rambling lifestyle. Congress regularly has to get out the big political erasers and remove major errors, misconceptions and mistruths from laws. They are familiar with the need for megalomaniac- sized erasers. I would like to do the same with the current negative attitude toward a code that was responsible for the obtaining of freedom for thousands of slaves and is ever present in the memories of African American families for generations. It was stuffed in the closet and almost forgotten about. There are some who knew this code and would not have passed on a chance to make a very strong lasting reminder of the quest for freedom that was the Underground Railroad. This eraser is the size of the one we will need in order to erase the many misconceptions that exist about this code. When enough people have seen this code and realize what the quilt represents they will want to have it stored away as a national treasure.
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About the Book
This book approaches the subject of Black history from a unique point of view. It focuses on a130 year- old quilt passed down thru several generations. The quilt was made by former slaves and there are indications that it may have been made as a demonstration quilt outlining the Underground Railroad method of communication via symbols. This book presents a method for translating the Underground Railroad code present on this quilt. It also uncovers the history of the African American family that made this quilt for 150 years. An analysis of potential escape routes for contraband slaves in presented. It follows American history as it affected this family from pre Civil war years thru the Reconstruction era on to the Harlem renaissance and beyond. This book follows the later generations of the same family as they participated in the development of bebop jazz performing in New York and Europe with some of the most celebrated jazz musicians. This is a family with a very unique untold story in African American history. The uncovering factual historical details from variuos obscure sources creates a fascinating narrative, a story thats helps us all to better understand the African American social, historical legacy.
About the Author
John E. Allen is a retired dentist who has always had a knack for science, tinkering and music. He practiced dentistry for over thirty years in Northern California. He is a performing jazz musician and had a unique perspective on the history of jazz since his father was also a jazz musician. As a rookie historian he takes a bold approach to a touchy historical subject that is full of controversy. This book is his "maiden voyage" as Herbie Hancock might describe it. He has a lot of background in the sciences, a degree in Biology and another in Dental Surgery but his background as an academic historian is non existent and his collegiate studies in history were rather sketchy. He was very much inspired by an anthropology course he took in undergraduate studies that left him with an appreciation of the value in studying relics from past cultures. What motivated him to write a book about a historical subject is simply the fact that he spent his entire life in a home where one wall was decorated with an old quilt that had no one left alive to explain its origins. An extensive ten year long research project resulted in enough valid information to start picking apart the symbolic content on this quilt and deciphering the meanings of these symbols. In this way he revealed the Underground Railroad quilt code that had been used by his ancestors who were at one time escaped slaves. He is quick to state that he is not the only one studying this code. He includes works of other authors whose work enabled him to progress with his own study of the elusive code. As he was advancing in age and was concerned that he might not have time to complete this project before his lifetime was over, he elected to leave the practice of dentistry and devote the time needed to complete the book. This research project also unveiled a fascinating history of his ancestors from shortly before the Civil war to the present. The study also focuses on the careers of several celebrity artists such as Dizzy Gillespie and Josephine Baker who worked along with his father in the entertainment industry in the 1930's and contributed to the development of jazz music. Dr Allen lives in a rural area north of Sacramento, California. He continues to perform with several local bands and college jazz ensembles. He is an avid gardener who oversees the growth and production of his small collection of fruit trees and grape vines.