Milwaukee Art Museum Returns Two Jars to David Drake’s Descendants
The Wisconsin museum’s ownership transfer was followed up by a Virginia museum’s announcement of the return of another “Dave the Potter” vessel this week.
The Milwaukee Art Museum has returned two stoneware jars crafted by Dave Drake to the descendants of the renowned 19th-century African American ceramicist, as part of an ownership transfer agreement. The two substantial vessels showcase Drake's exceptional ceramic skills and also bear his name and original rhyming couplets, created during an era when African Americans faced severe limitations due to anti-literacy laws.
Yaba Baker, Drake's fourth great-grandson, expressed that this agreement is not only about the return of these vessels but also about acknowledging Drake as their ancestor whose voice and creativity have persisted for over 175 years. Born into slavery around 1801 on a plantation in the Carolinas, Drake was brought to Edgefield, South Carolina, to work in his masters' pottery business.
Despite the risks, Drake managed to learn to read and write, secretly inscribing his name and poetry onto his pottery.
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