On This Day in History Quilt for April 9.
On this day in 1959, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introduced the first U.S. astronauts to the press. The “Mercury Seven,” were all military test pilots chosen from an elite group of 32 candidates.
Marjorie Elrod of Winnsboro, Louisiana made this autograph quilt in 1976 to commemorate the American Bicentennial. Signatures include U.S. presidents, religious leaders, entertainers and “3 astronauts, 1st in Space, 1st to Walk, 1st in Orbit.” Elrod documented the quilt in 2002 as part of the Louisiana Quilt Documentation Project.
View this quilt on The Quilt Index to read more about it’s history, design and construction. Be sure to use the zoom tool for a detailed view.
Sources:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-astronauts-introduced
Posted by Amy E. Milne
Executive Director, Quilt Alliance
amy.milne@quiltalliance.org