Is Afrigeneas' purpose to provide credible resources and serious discussion concerning the real, documented history of African-Americans? Or is it this site's position that we don't have enough difficulty disseminating accurate information about blacks' contributions - that a drop of "fakelore" here and there just keeps people on their toes, or that nobody really cares one way or the other anyway? How else to explain this site's advertising Ms. Kemp's "museum"?

I have researched the "Quilt Code" story in depth for several years. In the process I correspondend at length with Ms. Kemp, whose family has literally been in the "quilt code" business since the publication of "Hidden in Plain View". She repeatedly claims to have written evidence not only of the "Code", but of a list of participants, and repeatedly promixed to fax me such proof. Six months have passed; nothing has ever come my way. No surprise there: No historian from any discipline has ever found evidence even suggesting anything like a "quilt code" was used - either by slaves or abolitionists.

The subject would be worthy of debate had any of those promoting the "Code" (now in ten different incarnations) actually provided some sort of evidence other than "Is too!!!" and their latest T-shirt, tote bag, or children's storybook. Until they do, thinking people cannot consider the "Quilt Code" story any more reliable - or valuable concerning African-American history - than "Gone With the Wind".

For detailed information on the "Code" myth - including Ms. Kemp's own emails and a look at who's benefiting the most from promoting it - see www.hartcottagequilts.com/railroad.