Did American slaves use steganography?

[K.Ellis]

There are those who do not believe any of it is  true.
There is such a thing as "folkloric truth" -- this was "what should be true,
whether it was documentable fact or not".
This is "story-truth" versus "happening-truth."  Story-truth is
somewhat akin to Wilgus and/or Hand's "folkloric truth."

The "quilts as maps, guides, codes" story is another example
of this phenomenon and, refute it as we may, it will
continue to grow in acceptance by the general public, including personnel
of galleries, museums, and the Park Service.

However, there is simply no independent evidence for the existence of such 
a code.

"quilt history listservs  have assembled quite a
massive file on exhibitions (including those put together by
"authority museums," community quilt shows, online curriculum units,
forthcoming elementary school textbooks, etc. that are showcasing the
myth as truth."

Drs. Tobin and Dobard
http://www.cw-book-news.com/release%20info/11-98/quilty.html
had lectured at the opening of the exhibit and the
curator seemed undismayed when  told him that there is simply no
independent evidence for the existence of such a code.

There's no way we can be sure what was made up
by the author and what was the informant giving her what she wanted,
especially since the informant died before the book came out!
Moreover, it could have been made up some time ago and passed to the
informant just like true history.

The theory simply cannot account for the known actions of slaves!  So
instead of the cherry tree fable, it's sort of like a story about
George Washington

Polaris is emphatically *NOT*  the Drinking Gourd",
and that error is egregious enough in itself to warn the moderately
informed reader against accepting things as gospel.

It becomes increasingly evident that the
battle is lost.  This bizarre tale now has the imprimatur of the
National Security Agency.  These are the people who are supposed to
help protect us from terrorism; doesn't give me much confidence in
our nation's security services.

Here you go

National Cryptologic Museum
call to complain 301-688-5849


Follow the Drinking Gourd
Cryptology has always been part of the fight to preserve freedom. One of
the most inspiring stories is the creation of slave quilts in the early and
mid-1800s. Secret messages embedded in the quilts assisted slaves from the
South in their efforts to escape to freedom in the North.
http://www.nsa.gov/docs/history/follow_the_drinking_gourd.htm

Cryptologic History and NSA
http://www.nsa.gov/docs/history/

African American Cryptologists
The Invisible Cryptologists: African-Americans, WWII to 1956
where they discuss women key punchers & equipment operators
http://www.nsa.gov/wwii/papers/invisible_cryptologists.htm


karen Ellis


At 09:41 PM 3/31/04, you wrote:
> > 
> http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0205_040205_slavequilts.html
> >
> > CCH
>
>         IRA award, Reading Rainbow Book : Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
>         by D.Hopkinson
>
>         Childrens Book of the Month Selection. Published 1993
>
>--bill

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