Gee’s Bend, Alabama, takes its name from Joseph Gee, who established a cotton plantation there in 1816 using enslaved labor. In 1845, ownership passed to his relative Mark Pettway, whose surname remains familiar among families in the community.

Generations of women pieced together quilts from worn clothing and fabric scraps to keep their families warm, creating a tradition rich in personal expression. Beginning in the 1930s, federal programs helped families purchase the land they worked, supporting a community where land and quilting traditions could pass from generation to generation. Today, the quilts of Gee’s Bend are celebrated around the world for their improvisational artistry and originality.