WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – It's a nationally recognized symbol that shows the impact of a once ignored epidemic.
Cleve Jones started the AIDS memorial quilt 25 years ago to raise awareness about the people dying from the disease.
Monday night, he shared his story with students and adults alike at UNCW.
Jones learned about rallying the public from the late Harvey Milk in San Francisco in the 70s. He says when his friends began to die from the disease - he needed a symbol that people could connect with - like a quilt.
Jones first debuted the aids quilt at a rally in Washington D.C., and back then it had about a thousand squares.
Now 48,000 panels and counting are dedicated to more than 94,000 people.
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