Faced with challenges in the workplace, many families of the 1930s turned to practical projects on the home front to help survive the times. That decade’s vibrant revival of quilt-making will be examined as part of the And Still They Prospered: Living Through the Great Depression program series at Macomb Community College’s Lorenzo Cultural Center.
Beth Donaldson, collections assistant at the Great Lakes Quilt Center at the Michigan State University Museum, will offer a free presentation at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 11, at the cultural center on Depression-era quilt making. She will showcase several quilts from her own personal collection as part of the presentation. Those attending the presentation who have quilts from that era are invited to bring them as part of a “show and tell” portion of the presentation. Advance registration for the presentation is required and may be made by calling 586.445.7348.
During the And Still They Prospered, which continues through May 8, several examples from the Clarke Family Quilt Collection, a part of the MSU Museum collection, are on display at the cultural center. The collection, including quilts and quilt tops completed between 1926 and 1941, reflects the resurgence of interest in quilting and the domestic arts during the Great Depression.
Through a series of exhibits, presentations and other programming, And Still They Prospered: Living Through the Great Depression offers a look at the economic, social and cultural changes that took place during the 1930s and how these shifts laid the foundation for future prosperity in the Motor City and beyond.
The Lorenzo Cultural Center is located on Macomb Community College’s Center Campus, Garfield & M-59, Clinton Township. The cultural center is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday; and 1-4 p.m. Sundays. Additional information on the cultural center and on the And Still They Prospered program series is available at www.lorenzoculturalcenter.com.
About the Lorenzo Cultural Center
The Lorenzo Cultural Center (lorenzoculturalcenter.com) explores the influences and experiences that shape our community's heritage, examining topics from a variety of perspectives and creating interactive opportunities for learning, celebration and entertainment. Located on Macomb Community College's Center Campus, Hall and Garfield Roads in Clinton Township, the cultural center is adjacent to the Macomb Center for Performing Arts.
About Macomb Community College
Macomb Community College (www.macomb.edu) is one of the nation’s leading community colleges, providing learning experiences to more than 59,000 students annually. Macomb nationally ranks in the top two percent in the number of associate degrees awarded and as the largest grantor of associate degrees in Michigan. The college’s comprehensive educational programming includes pre-collegiate experiences, university transfer and career preparation programs, bachelor degree completion and graduate degree programs, workforce training, professional education and certification, and continuing education and enrichment opportunities.
Media contact:
Dan Heaton
586.445.7271
heatond@macomb.edu