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Dr. Joan M. E. Gaither Oral History

Object number2024.001.0034
Date05/29/2024
ClassificationsOral Histories
Oral history interview subject
Oral history interviewer
ObjectOral history
Credit LineOral History Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumBorn digital (.mp4 file), Born digital (.vtt file), Born digital (.m4a file)
DimensionsDuration: 67 Minutes
Collections
  • Civil Rights Movement
  • All Online Objects
  • Oral History Collection
DescriptionVideotaped oral history interview with Dr. Joan M. E. Gaither. Gaither is an educator, fiber artist and documentary story quilter. While attending college in Baltimore in the early 1960s, she was a civil rights activist with the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee and participated in voter registration. Gaither attended the 1963 March on Washington. Interview conducted via Zoom on May 29, 2024 by Stephen Fagin. The interview is one hour and seven minutes long.
Curatorial Commentary

Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither's incredible quilt projects have been featured in many articles and local news stories throughout the years. Her website provides information on several of her quilting projects including her Social Justice and American series; community quilting projects; and her 1864 Emancipation quilt. The site features images of her quilting projects, resources for her classes, and a link to her blog. Her website may be viewed here: Joan M.E. Gaither, Documentary Story Quilter.- Riley Harris, Collections Cataloger

As mentioned in this interview, Dr. Joan M. E. Gaither participated in a Sixth Floor Museum virtual program, "Story Telling Through Art" in 2021. She discussed in depth her creative process, quilting projects, the context of her artwork, and how we tell stories through history. The video may be viewed on the Museum's YouTube channel here: Storytelling Through Art: A Conversation with Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither. - Riley Harris, Collections Cataloger

The Museum's Collection features several artifacts, oral history interviews, and public programs focused on the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). These materials may be viewed on the Museum's online database here: Thesaurus – Vocabularies – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. - Riley Harris, Collections Cataloger  

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