Heartbeat of the Eastside 

Raquel Gilford-Stepter 

2018 

45x55 

Cotton fabric, piecing, machine quilting, found object embellishments 

This quilt describes the history of the East Side of San Antonio. According to the AAQCSA, Ellis Alley was the first of multiple areas in San Antonio founded by African Americans. The various photos help tell the story of the history of the area. Some establishments built throughout time are The Colored Recreation Center built in the twentieth century, where Black soldiers would often go. Another place built here was the Library Auditorium in the 1930’s; here, Black entertainers would perform live. Protesters have fought to prevent the government from bulldozing the area since the 1970’s, and this fight is still going on.