Horne, Black Miners

In 1848, gold found in California beckoned thousands of fortune seekers to the territory. That is a well-known story in the history of the American West. Connie Horne in her work revealed a lesser-known aspect. She highlighted a group of African American who sought gold in mining claims along the American River, near present-day Folsom, California. In 1849, they established one of the earliest claims in Sacramento County.

Connie Horne’s quilt shows the men working, using the tools of mining. They break up rocks with picks. Other miners wield shovels to clear dirt away, and others use large pans to separate gold from debris. Horne employed her tools to construct the story. She chose fabrics to create the setting—the river, the hills and the mountains. A denim fabric literally represents the miners’ jeans in the foreground. The artist applied paint and color pencils for details in storytelling.

Connie Horne prepared an artist statement about the quilt for the exhibition catalogue “Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West.” After describing the miners’ claims, she concluded, “Work there continued until the late 1850s, when mining began to fade. African Americans then found their way to the growing cities and towns of northern California. A handful of African Americans struck it rich in the gold fields and mines, while others established successful businesses.”

“Black Pioneers:  Legacy in the American West” on view at the Stark Museum of Art, March 2—August 3, 2024

Organized by The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art with gratitude to guest curator Carolyn Mazloomi, PhD.

FEATURED IMAGE: Connie Horne, (Elk Grove, California), “Black Miners,” 2021, Cotton fabric and batting, textile paint, color pencils; photo manipulation, machine appliquéd and quilted, 40 ¾ x 41 inches. On loan from the artist