A public space to debate and discuss how to memorialize past human rights abuse so that it will never again occur.

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Memory and Justice: www.memoryandjustice.org

Discussion for AIDS Memorial Quilt

The AIDS Memorial Quilt derives much of its power from its ability to integrate individual and collective memory. Importantly, the quilt recognizes victims as individuals. Families, friends and local communities are invited to participate in the project and commemorate lost loved ones as people rather than statistics. At the same time, once assembled in full, the quilt illustrates the tragic scale of the AIDS epidemic and calls for broad public awareness and action. That is, while respecting and celebrating the diverse, private needs of victims and their families, the quilt meets a public need for collective recognition, remembrance and preventative action. In an interview with PBS, the activist Cleve Jones emphasized this multi-functionality. On the individual level, Jones suggested that “It [the Quilt] was therapy. It was something to do with your hands. It was a way to encourage people to talk and share memories.” Then, on the public level, the Quilt “was a tool to use with the media to get the media to focus on it. It was a weapon to shame the politicians for their inaction.”¹

Unfortunately, however, the Quilt has not represented all groups equally. In February 2008, Essence magazine reported that, among the 47,000 panels included as part of the Quilt, fewer than 400 honor Black people.² Responding to this iniquity, the foundation responsible for managing the project has made efforts to create more panels for African-Americans. Indeed it is vitally important that the quilt be as inclusive as possible in representing the victims of AIDS. In order to inspire political action, the memorial must endeavor to unite different groups around common commitments.

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