The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston has agreed to return two vessels made in 1857 by David Drake, a Black potter who was enslaved in South Carolina. This is the first time the museum has resolved an ownership claim involving art taken during 19th-century American slavery. The vessels are being returned to Drake’s descendants. The museum states this is part of efforts to address historical ownership issues.
David Drake, born around 1800 in Edgefield, South Carolina, is known for his pottery and for inscribing his works with poetry and personal notes. One of the returned pieces, called the “Poem Jar,” has an inscription: “I wonder where is all my relation,” which refers to the separation from his family. This vessel is now at the Greenville County Museum of Art. The other vessel will remain on loan to MFA Boston for at least two years.
Yaba Baker, a descendant of Drake and a children’s book author, thanked the museum for returning the vessels. He said the decision helps the family reconnect with their ancestor’s work and shows the progress made by Drake’s descendants…