June 2021 marked the 40th anniversary of the CDC’s recognition of what would become the AIDS epidemic.

Four panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville. The panels on display feature the 42 known Arkansans memorialized.

The Quilt is available for viewing from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday, November 28th through Tuesday, November 30th, and 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 1st through Friday, December 3rd.

A special program and service will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1st — World AIDS Day.

World AIDS Day, designated on December 1st every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic and mourning those who have died of the disease.

The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was unveiled on Washington’s National Mall during the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay rights. The Quilt is a 54-ton tapestry with almost 50,000 panels commemorating more than 105,000 people. It is the largest piece of community folk art in the world.

NWA Equality is honored to be a part of the National AIDS Memorial’s efforts to bring the Quilt to communities across the United States to raise greater awareness and education about HIV/AIDS and remember those lost to the pandemic.

Volunteers are needed to help secure the Quilt throughout the display period. Please sign up here to help.