American patchwork quilts, which sprang up in large part out of the pragmatic need for warmth during wintry months, may not seem particularly interesting in today’s art world. Yet those historic hand-sewn pieces frequently tell stories of injustice and inequality that are just as relevant today as they were when they were first made. Now, with two U.S. museums and one London gallery opening exhibitions on quilts that contain compelling messages of racial injustice and gender equality, the artistic American subgenre is once again rightfully center stage in the public’s imagination.