Eleanor Brazell interview with William J. Gordy, Nancy Della Jones, Madie Lou Towns, Velma Towns Johnson, Weldon Long, Perlene Roper, Oma Bennett, W.W. Cochran, H.E. Hichberger, and Lizzie Crawford (part one)

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. This is part one of a two part interview; it begins with Eleanor Brazells grandmother, Madie Lou Towns, describing quilting work schedules and what she ate for lunch and dinner on the days she worked on quilts. She then talks about the kinds of thread that she used for quilting. At 4:30 the group begins discussing thimbles, specifically their uses and how to pick the correct size. At 7:10 Towns talks about using homemade quilting frames and how to bind the edges of a quilt. At 11:30 Brazell asks her grandmother and mother what the quilting group would do if someone unskilled at quilting wanted to join; her mother replies that they would have them complete tasks in the kitchen, or would later redo their work on the quilt. Velma Towns Johnson (1909-2004) was born in Carroll County, Georgia, to George James Towns and Maiden Madie Lou Stallings Towns. She married Lonnie Glennis Johnson, and they had two daughters, Wylene Johnson Ivie (1930-2019) and Eleanor Johnson Brazell. Eleanor Johnson Brazell married James William Brazell (1932-2003), an engineer who was an officer in the Air Force and taught at the Georgia Institute of Technology for twenty-five years; they had one daughter, Elizabeth Brazell Tate. William J. Gordy (1910-1993) was born in Peachtree City, Georgia, and worked as a potter, winning several awards for his work. Additional biographical information has not been determined. Quilting groups; Quilt binding; There is no transcript for this recording. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.