Sankofa, Marla A. Jackson

The name Sankofa comes from the Twi language of Ghana, Africa, and translates roughly as “go back and get it.” The idea of Sankofa is often represented as a heart or bird-shaped symbol. It represents the importance of reflecting on the past to build a successful future. Jackson created this quilt in response to the ideas of Topeka-born artist Aaron Douglas at the time of the major exhibition of Douglas’s work that the Spencer Museum organized in 2007. As Douglas became one of the key visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920s and 1930s, he called upon his African heritage to form the foundation of his work.