Our Mission
Symbol of Courage Exhibition
Antigua & Barbuda
The Heritage Quilt is a communal act of remembrance. Inspired by Sir Keithlyn Smith's Symbol of Courage, we believe that every story preserved is a thread that strengthens the fabric of national identity.
Preserving memory, stitch by stitch
The Antigua and Barbuda Heritage Quilt was born from the Summer Reading Project — an initiative that brings together readers at home and in the diaspora to explore the literature, history, and culture of the islands. In 2024, participants were invited to create a visual response to Symbol of Courage, Sir Keithlyn Smith's biography of Mary Lewis Peterson, an Antiguan woman whose life spanned nearly a century of change.
The result is not merely a collection of images, but a shared inheritance. Each panel carries the fingerprints of its maker — hand-drawn scenes, appliquéd symbols, embroidered memories — and together they form a single, living document of what it means to belong to Antigua and Barbuda.
Our greatest treasures are not only the places we inherit, but the stories and traditions we choose to safeguard for those who come after us.
The team behind the quilt
The Contributors
Thirteen participants from the Summer Reading Project — spanning Antigua, Barbuda, and the diaspora — designed and stitched the individual panels. Each contributor brought their own family memories, research, and artistic vision to the work.
Sylvia Hernandez
Long-arm quilter and textile specialist who assembled the individual squares into the finished quilt. Her precision and care bound scattered memory into a single, coherent inheritance.
Sir Keithlyn Smith
Author of Symbol of Courage, the biography of Mary Lewis Peterson that inspired the exhibition. With gratitude to his estate for preserving and sharing her story.
The Summer Reading Project
An annual community initiative that encourages readers of all ages to engage with Antiguan and Barbudan literature, history, and culture through discussion, art, and public exhibition.
Mary Lewis Peterson
1914 – 1999. An Antiguan woman whose life of resilience, community care, and quiet courage serves as the spiritual centre of the quilt. Her memories, preserved by Sir Keithlyn Smith, guide every thread.