Ties that Bind: The Kentucky Maskmaker's Quilt

Ties that Bind: The Kentucky Maskmakers’ Quilt is a traveling display of the Kentucky Maskmakers’ quilt presented to Governor Andy Beshear on October 1, 2020, by citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The exhibit, designed and created by the Kentucky Historical Society, was made possible through an IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) grant.

The quilt, created by Kentuckians from across the state with squares of fabric they had used to create masks during the spring and summer of 2020, includes pieces sewn by demographic, age, race, and gender-diverse folks living and surviving in Kentucky throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The accompanying scrapbook, including its letters to Governor Beshear, artfully captures the fear, uncertainty, and resiliency of Kentuckians at the moment. 

This exhibit is on display in our permanent exhibit, A Kentucky Journey, at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History through the end of March 2024; then, it will travel to communities across the state.