Lunch Counter

Colette Wilkinson 
2018 
44x61 inches 
Cotton and metallic yarn, cardstock, machine quilted 
Fun fact: Story quilts have deep ties to African American quilting; symbolism takes a large part in the craft. 
This quilt represents a major move towards racial equality in San Antonio. Sit-ins were a form of protest during the Civil Rights Movement, where people of color would sit down at “white only” establishments in order to defy the rules of segregation. These were peaceful protests, and participants would only ask to be treated like their white counterparts. The first of these events took place at the Woolworth Department Store in North Carolina in 1960. Events like this helped mark the Alamo City as the first state in the South to start integrating dining spaces; this is an important feat considering the area’s previously rigid structure. This quilt serves as a reminder of the changes that have taken place since the ‘60s and the progress that still needs to be made today.