American Experience

Interview with Mrs. Mayme Reese, Housewife

Interviewee: Mrs. Mayme Reese
Birth: Born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1881
Ethnicity: African-American
Family: Two married sons, one single son and one married daughter
Occupation: Housewife
Location: 1 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York City
Date: September 20, 1938
Interviewer: Dorothy West

Interview Excerpt: "What kinds of things did you used to do when you got together with other women?"

Did you ever hear about quilting parties? We used to have quilting parties at least twice a year. One time we would meet at one house and one time at another; you'd keep on that way until the quilt was finished...

"In the fall when they had the county fairs, sometimes we'd take our quilts out to fair-grounds for exhibition. Each lady picked out her best quilt -- the prettiest color, the prettiest pattern and the best stitches -- and took it to the fair to try to win the prize. No, it didn't make any difference if your prettiest quilt had been quilted by three or four other people. You see you already had the pattern and you'd already put the pieces together so that much was your own idea.

Excerpt from the Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writer's Project Collection, Transcript #25060506.

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