Harriet Powers was an American folk artist and quilter.
Born a slave near Athens, GA in 1837, she learned her quilt-making skills on the plantation where she was raised. Later freed, she lived on a small farm in Clarke County with her husband and children. She is known for amazing pictorial quilts that combined African-style appliqué techniques with European-style stitching. Only two of her quilts remain – The Bible Quilt in the Smithsonian and the Pictorial Quilt in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
In 2009, she was inducted into the Georgia Women of Achievement Hall of Fame. Powers was commemorated with a Forever Stamp featuring her work in 2026. She is considered by many to be “The Mother of African American Quilting.”