The NAMES Project Foundation originated from activist Cleve Jones in 1985, who envisioned a public display of names in memory of those lost to the epidemic, which evolved into fabric panels lovingly sewn by their friends and family. The Quilt made its debut on the National Mall in 1987, featuring 1,920 panels and marking the beginning of a name-reading tradition. By 1988, a national tour had tripled the Quilt's size and engaged thousands of volunteers in its creation. Throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s, the Quilt was showcased…