Browse Exhibits (5 total)

Avid quilters, Stanley Rankin and his mother, Dorothy, created a multitude of beautiful, imaginative, and colorful quilts. Some are traditional, while other are purely works of textile art. 

Stan and Dorothy’s mutual love of quilts brought them to the Museum of the Grand Prairie (then known as the Early American Museum). They spent many hours as volunteers working on the statewide Illinois Quilt Research Project. Beginning in 1986, the museum and Land of Lincoln Quilt Association documented over 17,000 quilts produced or owned in Illinois. Today, that treasure trove of quilt data resides at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield, Illinois.

Stan and Dorothy quilted for the sheer joy and camaraderie of creating. Stan's niece recalls that he and his mother would complete a quilt and then just tuck it safely away. The completion of the work of art was enough for them: they neither needed to use or show them.  Stan and Dorothy's textile traditions are a testament not only to the art of quilting, but also to the power of family. 

What follows in a brief exploration of their craft.

The stories within our exhibit, Your Legacy Too, span over 200 years, and are comprised of an extensive roster of remarkable, local men who have made countless contributions to Champaign County throughout the years.

These individuals have shown themselves as both fearless and inspirational. Many are members of the NAACP and heavily involved in the church and their many affiliated organizations, while others can be seen in roles such as Assistant Director of the Afro-American Cultural Program, Director of Upward Bound, Director of the African American Cultural Program, President of the Frederick Douglass Civic League, and the first African American elected to fill the role of State’s Attorney in Illinois.

Many have spearheaded organizations, such as Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club, Campaign County Opportunities Industrialization Center, Frances Nelson Health Center, or the Investigative Unit within the Illinois State Police, among others. These organizations have produced great change toward acceptance and inclusion of African Americans within the community, serving as examples on how to face adversity. Some even came to the area specifically to assist Champaign Countians in dealing with racism.

Understanding that there is still much work to be done to make our community more inclusive and equal, the collection of men presented within these exhibits serve as a testimony to how far we have come as a people in such a short amount of time, and how hardships can often spur these positive, massive shifts. 

Your Legacy Too is an ongoing project drawn from the Doris K. Wylie Hoskins Archive for Cultural Diversity, intended to exhibit online and celebrate the accomplishments of African American men in Champaign County. The exhibit began in 2003, and is a cooperative effort between the National Council of African American Men and the Museum of the Grand Prairie

Since this is an ongoing project, we are continuing to seek updated information about these remarkable individuals. Please feel free to contact us at museum@ccfpd.org if you have any recommendations, potential updates, or suggestions that may aid us in keeping this exhibit current and up to date.