Hystercine Rankin

Hystercine Rankin (1929-2010) learned quilting from her grandmother at the age of 12 and started making quilts to keep her family warm. She made traditional quilts like the log cabin, but created her own unique versions of them, utilizing colors and shapes to create distinctive works.

She also used appliqué and embroidery to create quilts that portrayed family stories and her memories. Rankin taught people to quilt at Mississippi Cultural Crossroads in Port Gibson, MS, and was a member of the Crossroads Quilters. She was recognized in 1997 for her accomplishments when the National Endowment of the Arts awarded her with a National Heritage Fellowship.