Catalogue Number
NMLH.2020.5.213
Object Name
badge
Title
THE QUILT. SEE IT AND UNDERSTAND
Place
San Francisco
Events
AIDS epidemic; The Quilt
Description
Square plastic badge with two sections connected by a zigzag 'seam' - the top left corner is light purple, the rest is light teal. Bold white text reads "THE QUILT. SEE IT AND UNDERSTAND."
The Quilt was a large-scale memorial artwork to commemorate those lost to HIV/AIDS during the epidemic, which mostly affected LGBTQIA and other marginalised communities, such as sex workers and intravenous drug users. The epidemic was largely dismissed by medical and government officials, who first named the syndrome GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency) and used it to justify their homophobic and transphobic policies, attitudes, and misinformation. During the 1980s and 1990s, hundreds of thousands of people died after contracting HIV/AIDS, hugely affecting LGBTQIA communities for years to come.
The Quilt began in November 1985 in San Francisco by human rights activist and author Cleve Jones. Starting by documenting the over 1000 San Franciscans who had died of complications of AIDS, other US cities most affected began to send panels with names of others lost. The result was displayed on October 11, 1987 at the National Mall in Washington DC during the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. At that point it included 1920 panels and covered more than a football pitch. Following tours around the US, the Quilt grew to over 12,000 panels. Today, over 110,000 people are remembered in almost 50,000 panels. It is now available to view online at aidsmemorial.org.
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