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Sheryl Sims
American quilter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sheryl E. Sims is a German-born American quilter. She was appointed as the Commissioner for the Arts of Alexandria, Virginia in 2022.
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Early life and family
Sims was born in Germany, where her father was stationed as an officer in the United States Army.[1] She spent part of her childhood in Thailand.[1] Sims is the sixth-great-granddaughter of Andrew Cox, an American patriot.[2][1] She is also the fourth-great-granddaughter of Calvin Leary, a Louisiana planter, and a woman named Mariah, who was enslaved on his estate, Sunnsyside Plantation.[3] Sims is a 10th-great-granddaughter of the Irish Quaker colonist Valentine Hollingsworth, who was one of the signatories of William Penn's Great Charter.[4]
She was presented as a debutante in her youth.[1] She graduated with a degree in environmental design from the University of Houston.[1]
Sims has three brothers and a sister. She is divorced and is the mother of an adult daughter, Amber Wihshi, who is a resident of Alexandria, Virginia.
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Career
Sims is a professional quilter.[5][6] In November 2023, she gave a presentation on her work at her exhibit, titled Ancestry Through Art: Discoveries Revealed in Story Quilts Inspired by Family and Faith at Pope–Leighey House on Woodlawn Plantation in Alexandria, Virginia.[7][8] Sims' art focuses on her family history, both enslaver and enslaved.[7] She was appointed as Commissioner for the Arts in Alexandria from 2022 to 2024.[1] She serves on the advisory committee for the Virginia Quilt Museum.[9]
She also works as a legal secretary in Washington, D.C.[3]
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Personal life
Sims joined the Nelly Custis Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2022.[2] She was the first person of color to be admitted as a member in her chapter.[2] In November 2022, she received the Community Service Award and the Women in the Arts Award from her chapter.[1]
References
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