February 27, 2025
Gee’s Bend Quilters, Adidas Celebrate Black History And Excellence In Athletics
Black women quilters paid homage to HBCUs, thanks to Adidas.
Adidas has released a limited-edition NCAA basketball jersey collection inspired by the Quilters of Gee’s Bend.
The collection features colorful, intricate patchwork artistry created by descendants of enslaved women living in Gee’s Bend, a small rural community on the Alabama River.
The athletic brand also commissioned the quilters to make five 7-foot x 7-foot quilts for its HBCU partners: Alabama State, Alcorn State, Grambling State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Prairie View A&M. The women created the quilts using repurposed school apparel.
On Feb. 22, Adidas sponsored the HBCU Legacy Bowl, where athletes wore custom-made jerseys inspired by the Quilts of Gee’s Bend.
As part of the HBE initiative, Adidas featured a short film on its Instagram page that tells the story of the Alabama-based quilters, The film was produced by Black-owned multimedia company Paper Monday.
In addition, HBE donated a community grant to Sew Gee’s Bend Heritage Builders, the Quilters’ non-profit organization, to ensure that it continues its mission of cultural preservation and community building.
The Quilters of Gee’s Bend took to Instagram to express their gratitude for this multi-layered collaboration.
“Thanks, Adidas, for Everything, this Gee’s Bend Collaboration is so exciting We had a great time in New York and really loved it when your team came to Gee’s Bend. Can’t wait for the next phase.”
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The Quilts of Gee’s Bee have been featured in notable galleries across America, including the High Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian. In 2006, the U.S. Postal Service launched a series of commemorative postal stamps depicting the historical quilts.
Other honorees of Adidas’s Honoring Black Excellence initiative this year include Sekou Thornell, founder and creative director of Kitboys Club, a soccer-focused athleisure brand; and Jaycina Almond, founder of the Tender Foundation, a support group for marginalized single mothers in metro Atlanta.