The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music

In the setting of the historic Carver Center in San Antonio, Texas, an aunt and her niece explore the history of African American music!

Aunt Cynthia, a music history buff, helps her niece Lauren learn about the music genres that were born and formed by African American history and culture. They cover a wide breadth, all the way from the times of slavery, to Negro Spirituals, Blues, Ragtime, Jazz, the Harlem Renaissance, Gospel, the Civil Rights movement, Soul and R&B, and Hip Hop. Cynthia works to inspire Lauren’s curiosity about these periods of history by continuously making it relevant to the music, and uses the layers of a quilt to explain how music of the past connects to the contemporary music that Lauren is most familiar with. By the end of the film, Lauren feels more empowered by the generational connections of music and culture she has learned.

This educational documentary for children and adults is produced by Musical Bridges Around the World (MBAW), a performing arts nonprofit in San Antonio, TX.