University of Nebraska at Omaha
Relevant unomaha.edu links:
Additional resources:
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"We sometimes forget that provisions for education, for health, for recreation, are made possible for all children only through law. We sometimes forget, too, that while all children are not in need of these agencies that the public purse makes available, some of the children need all of them, and all of the children need some of them. There is no parent, however wise and rich and resourceful, that can successfully rear his children without the cooperation of the community." |
The Abbott Sisters Living Legacy Project.
Media Coverage and Resources
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Videos
The Quilted Conscience (film-sampler)
The Quilted Conscience (opening sequence)
Sudanese Student-Quilter (TQC portrait)
Sudanese Parent (TQC portrait)
Sudanese Family (TQC portrait)
Peggie Hartwell exhibit (TQC portrait)
Sudanese Quilting Project (Grand Island Independent)
Media Coverage
"Quilting together stories and memories," KHAS-TV (NBS), November 11, 2012
"Film Creates a Deeper Understanding of Immigrant Struggles," NTV (ABC), November 11, 2012
"Sudanese girls' quilting experience depicted in documentary," The Grand Island Independent, November 7, 2012
"Documentary film brings memories, dreams into full view," The Grand Island Independent, November 10, 2012
"History of the Grace Abbott School of Social Work at the University of Nebraska at Omaha,"Prairie Fire, November 2012
"Celebrating the Work of Grace Abbott," The Kim Foundation, November 2012
"The Abbott Sisters also made history," Omaha World-Herald, April 11, 2012
"Families share love of social work," NASW News, March 2012 - an Abbott-related article
"Sonny's Corner: Grace Abbott as Progressive Crusader for America's Children," Prairie Fire, January 2012 - part two of a two-part article about Grace Abbott and child welfare, written by Jane Renner Hood, former Executive Director of the Nebraska Humanities Council.
"Sonny's Corner: Grace Abbott: A Nebraska Progressive," Prairie Fire, December 2011 - part one of a two-part article about Grace Abbott and immigration, written by Jane Renner Hood, former Executive Director of the Nebraska Humanities Council.
"Film Streams Discussion, 12/5/2011," KIOS 91.5 FM; the second half of this audio recording features Director John Sorensen in a Q&A about "The Quilted Conscience."
"John Sorensen’s Decades-Long Magnificent Obsession with the Abbott Sisters Bears Fruit in a Slew of New Works, Including ‘The Quilted Conscience’ Documentary at Film Streams," Leo Adam Biga's Blog, September 8, 2011; also available "John Sorensen’s Decades-Long Magnificent Obsession with the Abbott Sisters Multi-media Project Debuts New Documentary, ‘The Quilted Conscience’ ", The Reader, September 2011.
"John Sorensen and His Abbott Sisters Project: One Man’s Magnificent Obsession Shines Light on Extraordinary Nebraska Women," Leo Adam Biga's Blog, April 25, 2010;
- also available as PDF: "Grand Island native keeps the Abbott sisters' story alive: John Sorensen's work cuts across academic disciplines," New Horizons, June 2009
"Designing Dreams: Quilt project helps Sudanese girls tell of memories, hopes." The Grand Island Independent, September 20, 2008
- also available online: "Quilt project helps Sudanese girls tell of memories, hopes," theindependent.com, September 28, 2008.
"Memories dreams." yourLIFE, September 28, 2008
"'Quilted Conscience' project shows Sudanese girls' dreams," theindependent.com, March 21, 2009.
"Three women key to success of quilting project," theindependent.com, March 21, 2009.
"Quilted Together: Project urged girls to portray their dreams," The Grand Island Independent, March 22, 2009.
"Abbott Sisters Day celebrated with quilt project," theindependent.com, March 22, 2009.
"Morrow helps newcomers tell stories with quilts," The Success Press (Grand Island Public Schools), Spring 2010, see page 5.
Recent Events
2012 - The Buffett Early Childhood Fund was the 2012 honoree of the Grace Abbott Award, presented by the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation at a ceremony held at the Rose Theater in Omaha.
August 2012 - Our third annual Newcomers quilt [see photo ] received a 2nd Place Red Ribbon at the 2012 Nebraska State Fair! It also received a special honor: a financial gift that will be used to purchase supplies for future Newcomers quilts.
2012 - A Job Corps teacher in Oregon found some clips from The Quilted Conscience on youtube and requested a copy of the complete film for use in her class. After the screening, she wrote an inspiring letter about her experience, saying that "Your film added so much to the project that I was teaching! Not only did students get to learn about the conditions in Sudan from people their age who actually were from the region, but the film also revealed that quilting is a legitimate art form. ... The film captures the spirit and tenacity of the girls and their families, while gently reminding viewers that as humans we are more alike than different and that women of any color have a place at the table and the football field!"
July 2012 - 'The Quilted Conscience' was featured at the 2012 statewide convention for the Nebraska State Quilt Guild, held in Omaha in July 2012; events included a screening of our new film (with Q&A), and a luncheon presentation about the workshop project.
April 2012 - Project Associate Ann Coyne, Ph.D., of the Grace Abbott School of Social Work received the prestigious 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Social Workers at a special presentation in Washington, D.C. in April. View a video tribute by NASW to Ann Coyne.
April 2012 - Vanessa Taylor, a student from Ainsworth, Nebraska, made a documentary video about Grace Abbott (Grace Abbott: Nebraska's Social Reform Pioneer) which won first prize at the Nebraska History Day competition in April 2012. She then went on the the national contest in Washington, D.C., where she received the U.S. Freedom Award, giving her the opportunity to travel to New Orleans in January 2013 to attend the grand opening of the U.S. Freedom Pavillion: The Boeing Center at the National World War II Museum.
April 2012 - The Children's Bureau celebrated their 100th anniversary by sharing our Grace Abbott: An Introduction video with many new viewers at their Centennial Commemoration event in Washington, D.C. in April 2012.
February 2012 - The Nebraska Is Home project offered a youth program on February 21, 2012, which featured screenings of vignettes from The Quilted Conscience followed by a discussion. The event was a big hit and received special attention via a report on Omaha's NBC affiliate, WOWT-TV.
October 2011 - THE QUILTED CONSCIENCE - special Preview Screening at FILM STREAMS - Omaha, Nebraska - Thursday, October 6, 7:00 pm.
May 2011 - NETV broadcast a story on 'The Quilted Conscience' as part of its 'Nebraska Stories' series on May 15, 2011. The segment is now available for viewing on the Nebraska Stories website.
March 2011 - John Sorensen, Project Director, featured as keynote speaker at University of Nebraska's Women's History Month Banquet: Visions of Sisterhood
November 2010 – Stuhr Museum, Grand Island, Nebraska, hosts event to honor the naming of the Grace Abbott School of Social Work (University of Nebraska-Omaha), including keynote address by U.S. Senator Mike Johanns - read text of Sen. Johanns' speech | read article | view Stuhr Museum webpage about event
November 2010 - Grace Abbott: an introduction published by the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Grace Abbott School of Social Work
September/October 2010 – International Quilt Study Center & Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska, hosts month-long Quilted Conscience exhibition/event/screening - read more
Books and Publications
The Grace Abbott Reader, edited by John Sorensen with Judith Sealander. Paperback.
2008. 170 pp
978-0-8032-1590-0.
$21.95. Available from the University of Nebraska Press.
Book Review: Great Plains Research, Fall 2010
 Book cover of Grace Abbott: An introduction |
Grace Abbott: An introduction: The Story of Grace Abbott, American Chapion of Social Justice (1878-1939). Adapted from the writing of Edith Abbott by John Sorensen. The Grace Abbott School of Social Work, University of Nebraska at Omaha. 2010.
"A Prairie Childhood" by Edith Abbott: An excerpt from "The Children's Champion: A biography of Grace Abbott" by John Sorensen, reprinted from Great Plains Quarterly, volume 23 no. 2 (Spring 2003).
Links
NETV/'Nebraska Stories' - website listing their upcoming episodes, including May 15 segment concerning The Quilted Conscience: "A group of young Sudanese girls, all refugees living in Grand Island, create a quilt made up of their hopes and dreams."
NETV/'Nebraska Stories' facebook page
University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration - webpage about Grace Abbott
University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration - webpage about Edith Abbott
The Social Justice Sisters - webpage created by Grand Island Public Schools students
Peggie Hartwell - fabric-artist/project partner
Grand Island Community Foundation
Photo Gallery Credits
Scott Kingsley, Grand Island Independent: Quilted Conscience Workshop I (September 2008)
Yaunis Andindi: Workshop II (September 2008)
Ron Lukesh: Abbott Sisters Day Poster (2008)
Russanne Erickson: Hastings Museum (March 2010)
Maureen Ose: International Quilt Study Center and Museum (October 2010)
Mike Bockoven: Stuhr Museum: Senator Johanns (November 2010)
Film Streams: The Quilted Conscience Preview Screening (October 2011)
6001 Dodge Street | CPACS Building 206 | University of Nebraska-Omaha | Omaha, NE 68182 | 402.554.2792 | fax 402.554.3788 | comments?