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Akron Pride Festival Brings Sections of AIDS Memorial Quilt to Akron

The AIDS Memorial Quilt, on display at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C.
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The AIDS Memorial Quilt, on display at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C.

The Akron Pride Festival is bringing sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the Summit County Courthouse this week. The quilt, which was started 30 years ago, includes the names of 96,000 people who have died from AIDS.

The disease has killed more than 700,000 people the U.S. and nearly 32 million people globally.

Cindy Christman is the Vice Chair of the Akron Pride Festival. She called the quilt a great symbol of LGBTQ history.

“It’s a great reminder of those that have been lost and also a reminder that a cure has still not been found.”

The entire quilt which began as a single three by six foot panel now consists of more than 49,000 panels and weighs 54 and a half tons.

The sections coming to Akron will be on display beginning tomorrow. Viewing hours are weekdays from 8 am till 4 pm. Summit County Court administrators and judges sponsored the costs of bringing the quilt to Akron.

Correction: This story has been changed to accurately reflect the number of people who have died from AIDS. 

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Nathan joined WKSU as an intern in May 2019. Nathan is a broadcast journalism student at Kent State. He’s previously been a correspondent for TV2 as well as a crew member of Teleproductions. His interests include entertainment and culture.