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Pearlie Kennedy Pettway

1920 – 1982

African American quilter

Artist QuilterQuiltmaker
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About Pearlie Kennedy Pettway

Lived 1920 – 1982 (aged 61–62). Pearlie Kennedy Pettway was an American artist, quilter and quiltmaker.

Pearlie Kennedy Pettway (1920–1982) was an American quilter. She was among the quilters of Gee's Bend. Her works are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Pearlie Kennedy was born in Boykin, Alabama (Gee's Bend) in 1920. She married Horace Pettway, who was the brother of her brother's wife, Mary Elizabeth Pettway. The quilt, also known as Triangles Creating Squares-within-Squares (Housetop) Motif, is made from cotton sacking material. It is included in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation in 2014. Once clothing was no longer able to be mended, Pettway would use the material from coverall pants, dresses, and skirts to create quilts. According to her daughter Florida Irby, Pettway also sewed clothing using 25 lb. flour sacks and cloth that she acquired in Camden, using the leftover fabric to make quilts.

Pettway died in 1982 in Boykin.

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Important facts

Born
1920, Boykin
Birth century
Died
1982
Nationality
Also known as
Pearlie Kennedy

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Pearlie Kennedy Pettway's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Pearlie Kennedy Pettway?

African American quilter (1920-1982)

When was Pearlie Kennedy Pettway born?

Pearlie Kennedy Pettway was born in 1920 in Boykin.

When did Pearlie Kennedy Pettway die?

Pearlie Kennedy Pettway died in 1982.

What was Pearlie Kennedy Pettway's occupation?

Pearlie Kennedy Pettway was an artist, quilter and quiltmaker.

What nationality was Pearlie Kennedy Pettway?

Pearlie Kennedy Pettway was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Pearlie Kennedy Pettway

· Wikidata: Q96747981

· DBpedia: Pearlie Kennedy Pettway

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Pearlie Kennedy Pettway. https://biography.guide/pearlie-kennedy-pettway/

MLA: "Pearlie Kennedy Pettway." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/pearlie-kennedy-pettway/.

Chicago: "Pearlie Kennedy Pettway." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/pearlie-kennedy-pettway/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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