Name: Friendship & Fundraising: The Story of American Signature Quilts
Start: 2026-05-31T14:00:00-05:00
Location: Huntsville Madison County Public Library (Downtown Huntsville)

JOIN US on Sunday, May 31st, 2PM, for "Friendship & Fundraising: The Story of American Signature Quilts,"a special presentation by Ryan Blocker of the Alabama Department of Archives and History!
Location: Downtown Auditorium, Huntsville Madison County Public Library, 915 Madison Street
Signature quilts hold significant symbolic value, serving as both records of collaborative creativity and tangible documents that reflect the relationships between quilters and their communities. These quilts, as artifacts of these past networks, inspire a profound sense of interconnectedness that resonates today. In her presentation, Ryan will showcase images of eight quilts from the Alabama Department of Archives and History collection, ranging from the 1840s to the 2020s, to demonstrate the evolution of signature and friendship quilts in Alabama. Following the presentation, she will provide a brief overview of how to care for historic textiles.
Ryan Blocker has been with the Alabama Department of Archives and History for the past 16 years. She currently serves as the Museum Collections Coordinator, where she is responsible for the care and preservation of a diverse collection of artifacts. She is a past President of the Alabama Museums Association and was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Board of the Governor's Mansion Authority in Montgomery. Ryan is a graduate of Auburn University at Montgomery, where she received a B.A. in History, and the International Preservation Studies Center, where she received certification in Collections Care, focusing on Textile Conservation and Preservation.