Herstory: Bread & Roses

In 2020, I learned about a 1911 poem by James Oppenheim called Bread and Roses, which became a political slogan associated with the successful garment workers' strike in Lawrence, MA in 1912. Since then, it has been used to inspire activism through the spoken poem, through many artists' musical renditions, and through its appeal for both fair wages and dignified working conditions in myriad situations. The slogan migrated to picket lines and college campuses in support for women's suffrage. The story behind the poem begged for an art quilt that honors women from around the world and through the ages as they stand in solidarity to provide sustenance, grace, and beauty to humanity.