LOS ALTOS, CA (June 30, 2026) – In 1974, a diverse group of women gathered over a potluck at the home of quilter and political cartoonist Genny Guracar to discuss crafting a quilt that would represent the people’s history of America. The resulting patchwork document—and its relevance today—is the focus of an upcoming program at Los Altos History Museum titled American Patchwork: The Making of the People’s Bicentennial Quilt, held on July 15 from 5:30 – 7 pm.
Historian Connie Young Yu will share how the quilt emerged in response by a group of women to the commercialization of America’s Bicentennial celebrations. “Each of the 45 squares represents a forgotten or misrepresented incident in U.S. history,” she said, “many of them stitched by a woman with an ancestral or personal connection to the American story she chose.” Yu will discuss the 1976 book she wrote, The People’s Bicentennial Quilt with the text on each quilt square, and she will also talk about the color version published in 2010 titled Patchwork History: The People’s Bicentennial Quilt, available for purchase at the Museum’s store.
The quilt’s squares include Emancipation Proclamation, Trail of Tears, Equal Education, The Women’s Vote, and Chinese Labor on the Railroad. A vinyl panel reproduction of the quilt is on display through November 8 in the Museum’s current exhibition, The Spirit of ’76: Reflecting on America’s Bicentennial.
Regarding the quilt’s relevance today, Yu said, “We’ve been living with a myth for 250 years about the foundation of our country. I hope attendees will feel inspired by those who resisted this betrayal, tried to uphold the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, and who embraced the revolutionary ideas that all human beings are created equal.”
Connie Young Yu is a fourth-generation Californian who has lived in Los Altos Hills since 1970. Among her many works, she is the author of Chinatown, San Jose, USA and co-editor of Voices from the Railroad: Stories by Descendants of Chinese Railroad Workers. In 2025, she received an Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History for her work preserving the history of Chinese Americans in California.
Cost to the talk is $15, or free for Museum members. Register at losaltoshistory.org/BicentennialQuilt.
Los Altos History Museum began in 1977 with the opening of the historic J. Gilbert Smith House, built in 1905 on 14+ acres of apricot orchards planted by Mr. Smith. In 2001, Los Altos History Museum opened the modern building next door, which houses the Museum’s collections, permanent and changing exhibits, store and administrative offices. The Museum and its grounds are available for rent during evenings and weekends. Its collections are owned by the City of Los Altos and are managed by an independent nonprofit organization, whose staff and volunteers are responsible for all programs and operations.
The Museum is open Thursday through Sunday, from noon-4pm. Admission is free. Tours of the J. Gilbert Smith House are available during open hours. The outdoor agricultural exhibit, gardens and picnic area are accessible beyond Museum hours. For more information, visit: losaltoshistory.org, email hello@losaltoshistory.org, or phone 650.948.9427 x14.
Media Contact: Marketing@losaltoshistory.org
Los Altos History Museum: Diane Holcomb, 650.948.9427 x14, dholcomb@losaltoshistory.org
