The patterns in Daisy Estelle Anderson’s quilt, titled Underground Railroad, were pieced together by sewing machine and then quilted by hand. The central section is composed of bold, complementary patterns of squares, triangles and diagonals in red and white. It is surrounded by borders of black, white and red, accented with stitching in curvilinear patterns of arcs, waves, and other shapes that balance the straight-edged geometry of the main composition. Anderson used solid-colored fabrics as well as subtle paisley and polka dot varieties that provide richness to the overall design that is skillfully produced and aesthetically beautiful.

In their book Hidden in Plain View: The Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad (1999), Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard explored the belief that slaves were aided in their escape by deciphering information about pathways and safe houses conveyed through patterns in quilts hung outdoors. Some quilt codes remain mysterious, particularly when composed of symmetrical patterns. The Michigan State University Museum has an extensive African American quilt collection that depicts other narratives, including an Underground Railroad quilt made by a Detroit artist in the 1980s that depicts a story about a slave forefather’s escape to Canada.