Teresa Kemp
Teresa R. Kemp is a 5th Generation Quilter, Military Historian, and Owner, Plantation Quilts. She was born in Baumholder, West Germany to late Dr. Howard & Serena (Strother) Wilson. She graduated from Berlin American High School & attended OSU in Columbus, OH. She transferred to WVSU and graduated with a BA degree. Kemp also received a BS degree in Computer Information Systems from DeVry Univ. in Atlanta, GA .
As a Computer Programmer Analyst, she worked for GA Pacific in Shared Accounting Taxes/Controllers, writing financial software & performing enterprise Security Administration. In 2005, Teresa along with her parents opened the Underground Railroad Quilt Code Museum in Underground Atlanta, GA., but it was closed 2 years later due to illness.. Ms. Kemp survived colon cancer and subsequent congestive heart failure to "Keep the Show on the Road".
The great-granddaughter of a SC plantation owner, David R. Strother and Ann Jones (Native Am.) & descendant of African ancestors who were former slaves/abolitionist, she’s passionate about documenting her diverse history. Her Strother family has several plantation homes in SC on Nat. Register of Historic Places. Ms. Kemp is a modern day researcher of international human slavery, and preserves and documents world cultural heritage.
Her Farrow family came as slaves & lived in coastal GA, on Dover Hall plantation. Listed in 2 wills & 4 slave valuements, they were free in 1858, a rare view into day-to-day work on plantations. The Farrows, kept their cultures with absentee owners (6 months a year) due to malaria & yellow fever epidemics. A blacksmith Peter and Eliza (seamstress/midwife) hired themselves out. They worked on neighboring plantations. He preached in brush arbors & planned escapes. Keeping their money, their owner required a percentage of the proceeds of their labor, on return. An Awka (itinerant metal smith), he did the same in Nigeria, teaching of Chukwu (God), arbitrating in caves & praying for the sick. He worked & brought his money back for support of the village.
Teresa continues to exhibit extensive collections of to encourage preservation. With husband Calvin Kemp, Jr., Managerpf Production WATC TV-57. She’s a mother, grandmother & great grandmother. A servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, she was called 25 years ago to teach, "Freedom through Obedience to God’s Word". Ms Kemp does rural arts & crafts as gallery activities to preserve the culture at presentations. She fights Human Trafficking using her exhibits to teach delayed gratification & reconciliation skills.
Learn more at Teresa Kemp’s official website
