A Family. A Legacy. A Fight for Justice.
He Signed His Name
So We Would Know
He Was Here.
David Drake — enslaved potter, poet, and defiant artist — was forbidden to own what he made. His descendants are changing that. One jar at a time.
MFA Boston returned two of Dave's jars to the family in October 2025. The work continues.
"I wonder where is all my relation / Friendship to all — and every nation."
— David Drake, inscription on the Poem Jar, 1857
"He was denied the right to own what he made. When museums continue to hold his work without his descendants' consent, they extend the legacy of injustice."
— Yaba Baker, President, Dave the Potter Legacy Trust
The Artist
David Drake
Enslaved Potter. Poet. Defiant Voice.
In the 1800s, in the clay-rich Edgefield district of South Carolina, a man named David Drake made large stoneware vessels that could hold up to 40 gallons. He was enslaved — his labor, his time, and the products of his hands owned by others.
But Dave did something radical. He signed his pots. He inscribed them with poetry — rhyming couplets full of wit, longing, and humanity. This was illegal. An enslaved person asserting authorship was an act of profound defiance.
"Dave belongs to Mr. Miles / wher the oven bakes & the pot biles"
— he wrote, signing his own name into history even as the law refused to recognize him as a person.
Dave likely died in the 1870s, a free man. He left behind hundreds of surviving works that have since been acquired by museums and private collectors across America. His descendants never received any of them — until now.
1800s
Dave creates hundreds of signed, inscribed stoneware jars in Edgefield, SC
2016
Nearly 30 descendants travel to Edgefield for the first "Dave Day" celebration
2022
Family begins advocacy after "Hear Me Now" exhibition at MFA Boston & the Met
October 2025
MFA Boston returns two jars to the family in landmark restitution — a first in U.S. history
The Mission
Returning What Was Stolen
The Dave the Potter Legacy Trust exists to restore David Drake's legacy to those who are rightfully connected to it — his descendants.
Dave was forced to create. His work passed through slave owners, traders, auction houses, and private sales before arriving in institutions that now call it a cultural treasure. The museums that hold his jars carry ethics policies and acquisition guidelines. The philosophical architecture for doing the right thing already exists within their walls.
And yet, until recently, the family received nothing.
Museums understand that possession gained through historical violence cannot give rise to moral title. In 2025, the MFA Boston became the first museum to recognize this — returning two of Dave's vessels and setting a new standard for ethical restitution of works created by enslaved Americans.
The elders in our family are in their 80s. Time is not on our side. We call on every institution holding Dave's work to take the same courageous step.
Legal Advocacy
Working through the courts and direct negotiation to establish rightful ownership
Family Unity
Uniting known and unknown descendants of David Drake under one coordinated effort
Public Accountability
Bringing museum institutions into the light of public scrutiny and moral responsibility
Write to the Museums — Today.
These institutions hold work created by David Drake. MFA Boston did the right thing. Now it's their turn. Enter your details, select a museum, personalize the letter, and send it directly to their Director and Board of Trustees.
🏺 MFA Boston returned 2 jars in Oct. 2025. · 3 museums still holding Dave's work. · Your voice matters.
Enter your details once. They will automatically appear in your letter for every museum you write to.
Select one or more museums to write to. You can write to all three — your information auto-fills each time.
Your Submission at a Glance
The Dave the Potter Legacy Trust team will receive a copy of this submission for tracking and follow-up purposes.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: communications@metmuseum.org
The High Museum of Art: marci.davis@high.org
de Young / FAMSF: mbourne@famsf.org | sheath@famsf.org
The Dave the Potter Legacy Trust is not responsible for undelivered messages. If an email bounces, please visit the museum's official website for current contact information.
A Message from the Family
To Our Ancestor, and to America
Dear Dave,
We know your name because you signed it. You inscribed your humanity onto clay when the law refused to put it on paper. You created beauty in bondage, and somehow, across nearly two centuries, those creations found their way back to us.
Our elders — your great-great-great-grandchildren — stood in the galleries of the Museum of Fine Arts this past November. One of them, 86-year-old Daisy Whitner, placed her hands near the jar and said she could feel you: your tears, the sweat from your arms, your presence still warm in the clay.
We cannot undo what was done. But we can make sure that what you made is no longer held without your family's consent.
America is approaching its 250th anniversary. By now, the vast majority of Americans agree that slavery was an abomination. The institutions that hold your work are not led by people who would defend slavery. They carry ethics policies. They have acquisition guidelines. The philosophical architecture for doing the right thing already exists within their walls.
We are asking them to use it.
With love and resolve,
The Descendants of David Drake
Pauline Baker, Daisy Whitner, John Williams, Priscilla Williams Carolina, Yaba Baker, and the family of David Drake
Follow our journey and add your voice:
Share Dave's Story
These are ready-to-copy templates for Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Tap to copy — then paste and post. Don't forget to follow us first!
On this Juneteenth, we remember David Drake — an enslaved man who signed his name on clay jars in defiance of a system that said he was nothing. His descendants are reclaiming his legacy. One jar. One museum. One act of justice at a time. 🏺✊🏿 Follow the family's journey → @davethepotterfamily #DaveThePotter #Juneteenth #EthicalRestitution #JusticeForDave
Museums that hold work by enslaved artists have a moral obligation. MFA Boston stepped up and returned Dave the Potter's jars to his family. Who's next? 🏺 Follow @davethepotterfamily for updates. #DaveThePotter #MuseumAccountability #RestitutionNow #EthicalOwnership
His name is David Drake. He made pots under enslavement and signed them — a radical, illegal act of defiance. His descendants are fighting to bring his work home. Follow the journey → @davethepotterfamily 🏺 #DaveThePotter #DavidDrake #CulturalJustice #BlackHistory
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Need to Know
There are several ways to support the Dave the Potter Legacy Trust:
- Follow us on social media @davethepotterfamily on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to stay informed and help spread the word
- Share our social media templates to reach new audiences
- Write directly to museums using our pre-written letter template
- Fill out our contact form to volunteer, donate, or get involved
- Share this website with people who care about justice and history
Click here to get started.
Press & Media Resources
Journalists, documentarians, and media professionals — everything you need to tell this story.
Official Press Kit (PDF)
Full background on David Drake, the family's history, the MFA Boston restitution, bios of Yaba Baker and George Fatheree, key facts, and approved photography captions.
Download Press KitRequest an Interview
For interview requests, background briefings, or on-record statements, contact us directly.
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