Dave the potter produced over 40,000 pieces during his lifetime. But like most Black geniuses, he was ignored and rarely received compensation for his work. This changed when one of his jars sold for $1.56 million dollars in 2021.
Four of his descendents, Daisy Whitner, John N. Williams Sr., Pauline Baker, and Priscilla Carolina learned of their blood connection to David Drake from a genealogist in 2016. They learned, like many, that their connection to slavery was strong. This led to more questions.
Drake’s descendents own none of the clay jugs he made during his enslavement. Instead, they sit in private collections and museum displays. Ownership of his work has left Black hands. It brings into question who should profit from ancestral work?
Drake’s pottery was a symbol of defiance and pain. For his work to be subjected to capitalism is a direct contrast to his life. His creativity was his freedom and like many in his position, it is being sold without benefit to the Black community.
The system will devalue our work until it can profit from it without our inclusion. We must fight back against our ancestor's creations being culturally stolen. We must preserve the Black art that we can of the past and of today to keep ownership among us.