The AIDS Memorial Quilt made a fearful epidemic powerfully human (opens original article in a new tab)

The AIDS Memorial Quilt, a massive communal art project, was created to honor those lost to the AIDS epidemic, addressing stigma and lack of government response. It grew to over 50,000 panels and became a powerful symbol of remembrance and activism.

• The AIDS Memorial Quilt is the largest communal art project, made of over 50,000 panels remembering those lost to AIDS.
• It was created to humanize the epidemic, addressing stigma and lack of government response during the 1980s.
• The quilt debuted in 1987 on the National Mall, growing to cover a mile-long area by 1996.