Greenville County Museum of Art

Nov 25, 2012 — Jan 19, 2014

Experience the powerful story of David Drake, one of the 19th century’s most remarkable artists. An enslaved African-American who worked as a “turner” in several pottery manufacturing facilities in South Carolina’s Edgefield District, David Drake learned to read and write, dangerous and even illegal skills for a slave to possess. Apparently with his owner’s approval, Drake openly expressed his literacy and his literary skills by inscribing original poems on many of the utilitarian works he created. Ten large pots, including three poem-incised vessels offer a captivating look at the inspiring figure of David Drake.