The People:
Lottie Stamper
Lottie Queen Stamper (1907-1987) was one of Cherokee's best-known basket weavers. She was recognized for her versatility and innovation, with many crediting her with reintroducing the double weave technique into modern Cherokee culture. Like most Cherokee basket weavers, she initially learned the craft from her mother, but later honed her skill when she married into another basket making family. Stamper taught classes from 1937 until 1966, exposing hundreds of girls to the basketry tradition. Her signature appears with 100 other craft workers who signed on to become members of the newly formed Qualla Arts and Craft Mutual cooperative in 1946. In 1952, the Southern Highland Handicraft Guild awarded her an honorary lifetime membership.
Read more about Lottie Stamper on the Cherokee Traditions website.
