Patricia A. Montgomery – Sarah Mae Flemming Swing Coat

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Our Story Matters is the title of an ongoing exhibition at the Columbia (SC) Museum of Art. The exhibition is kind of small (as you will see if you click through). Mostly because the pieces in it are more memorabilia and historical information than art. That said, it is an interesting display of Columbia’s equivalent to Durham’s Black Wall Street.

And there is some art. Patricia A. Montgomery is a textile artist who makes swing coats that tell stories. The one on the website now is not the one I saw. So, it appears that they are changing them out periodically. If I was closer to Columbia, I would make a point of going by to see them because the one I did see was impressive.

Sarah Mae Flemming was one of the people who stood up for the right to sit down.

And Ms. Montogmery made a coat about her.

Grey swing coat with black collar and cuffs in a case, Red, white, pink and black geometric shapes quilted onto it with fabric newpaper photos of people and buildings appliqued over it.  White lettering is sewn on the sleeves and back of the coat.
Close up of the coat showing the quilting, lettering (which is court dates and case information for Ms. Flemming), and one of the buildings.  On the bottom left is "Perry declined to appeal, saying the case "obciously served its purpose"

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