[5] Canady thought that society had lost a lot of people who participated in the African American quilting tradition.
[5] The Daughters of Dorcas and Sons Quilting Guild was a group of amateur quiltmakers who were primarily African American.
[5] The group is named after the biblical character Dorca who was raised from the dead to work as a seamstress for the poor.
[7] They met weekly at church called the Calvary Episcopal Church where Viola and fellow members would teach their mastery in quilting to members of their community and create coverlets to help sick and homeless families.
[8][6] Within the guild, Viola was an influential organizer, teaching quilting and crafting techniques to her peers and local school children.
[1] After being inspired by the sky and her prayers, Canady created a wall hanging that depicted Charles Sumner School.
[9] The project was very meaningful to her because the Sumner School was opened in 1872 to educate black children in the District of Columbia.