Hampton University Museum to Receive Loan of Historic Vessel by Enslaved Ceramicist David Drake from Artist's Descendants

First HBCU to Exhibit Work by David Drake

HAMPTON, Va., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hampton University Museum today announced that it will accept the loan of a historic stoneware vessel by renowned enslaved African American ceramicist David Drake (ca. 1800–ca. 1870), known widely as "Dave the Potter," from the artist's descendants. The jar was previously owned by artist Theaster Gates, who decided to transfer ownership to Mr. Drake's heirs in May 2026 during his Gagosian gallery exhibition honoring Mr. Drake's life and contributions. Mr. Drake was born into slavery in the Edgefield district of South Carolina, and made an estimated 40,000 jars in bondage. He defied anti-literacy laws, and risked life and limb inscribing his name and poems onto vessels that he would never have the right to own. Over 150 years later, in 2021, Drake's work broke the auction record for American ceramics. Hampton University Museum will unveil the jar during a private Homecoming museum reception, on October 21, 2026.

"It is indeed an honor to showcase this historic pottery," said Hampton University Museum Director Dr. Vanessa Thaxton-Ward.

"I first heard of "Dave the Potter" while working in South Carolina. To have the opportunity to show his work with Henry O. Tanner, Thomas Day and other 19^th Century artisans is remarkable to share with our students, faculty, staff and general public. Great thanks to the Drake family descendants."

Navigating Freedom, Revisiting History

The jar will be unveiled by descendants of David Drake, bringing his artistry and enduring family legacy to Hampton University as the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence. Known for inscribing his vessels with words, dates and his signature at a time when literacy among enslaved people was severely restricted, Drake transformed functional pottery into powerful expressions of identity, intellect and agency. Its presentation at the Hampton University Museum, the nation's oldest African American museum, invites reflection on the contradictions between America's founding ideals of liberty and the lived experiences of enslaved people, while honoring the generations working to preserve and reclaim their ancestors' stories. The jar will remain on view through May 2027.

"When I look at Dave's pottery, I think about the conditions he was living in and the courage it took for him to write his name and poetry into the clay. Our ancestor left something for his family to find - a voice, a connection, a way to know him," said Yaba Baker, David Drake's fourth great-grandson. "Thanks to the generosity of acclaimed artist and collector Theaster Gates, and agreements with museums across the country, our family is reclaiming Dave's work, and we are committed to ensuring that his vessels continue to be shown and made accessible to the public. Loaning this jar to Hampton University Museum is a full-circle moment for me. I attended Hampton, and it literally changed my life! Playing a role in my alma mater being the first HBCU to show a Drake jar fills me with joy and pride."

Reclaiming a Legacy, Reuniting a Family with their Lineage

Mr. Drake's descendants are in the midst of a landmark effort to recover ownership of the artist's artwork from museums and collectors who have long benefited from holding his vessels, while the family has been left out of his legacy. In 2023, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and other institutions collaborated on the exhibition, Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina, which featured the work of David Drake. Following the exhibition, the artist's descendants came together to rebuild family ties, preserve Drake's history, and advance restorative justice by requesting, as a matter of principle, the return or repurchase of the artist's work.

"David Drake created extraordinary works of art under a system that denied him ownership of his own labor. His pottery and words survived, but his direct descendants have had no say in their ancestor's legacy," said George Fatheree III, advisor to David Drake's descendants. "Following an agreement with collector Theaster Gates that restored ownership of his vessel to Dave's heirs, Hampton University Museum now has an opportunity to introduce Dave's work to new generations. It is in this reciprocal spirit that Dave's descendants seek to work with museums and collectors, and we hope that even more individuals and institutions will engage with the family towards justice."

Currently, an estimated 55 museums and dozens of collectors are in possession of Mr. Drake's approximately 200 surviving works. Since 2025, the family has reached agreements of ethical restitution with 5 museums and two collectors, including the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, Ga.; the Telfair Museums in Savannah, Ga., the Milwaukee Art Museum, and Mr. Gates. The agreements support the family's ongoing mission to reclaim Drake's artistic and historic legacy, while also underscoring the family's commitment to keep the artist's work on view and accessible to the public. Each institution has had the option to repurchase or deaccession their jar, and they all continue to display Mr. Drake's work. Jars once owned by private collectors now reach wide audiences thanks to partnerships with institutions like Hampton University Museum. The family's mission is timely. When their effort to recover ownership started, Mr. Drake had four third-great-grandchildren in their late 70s and 80s; an elder passed away earlier this year and the family is eager to see justice served in their lifetimes.

For decades, museums have developed ethical frameworks for returning artwork and cultural objects acquired through theft, fraud, Nazi-era looting, coercion, or the removal of Indigenous cultural heritage. Mr. Drake's descendants are the first African Americans to seek repatriation for artwork created under enslavement in the United States, and have created a mutually beneficial model for how to engage. Their campaign has received the support of the NAACP, which stated that "The impact of slavery is not confined to our past; it endures wherever institutions continue to benefit from what our ancestors created without recognizing the rights of their descendants." The family's decision to loan the artwork to an HBCU located on a former plantation provides additional context about the time period in which Mr. Drake's artwork was created – and the enduring strength and talent of Black people across generations.

For more information about Mr. Drake's descendants and how to support their efforts to reclaim ownership, visit www.davethepotterfamily.org.

About Hampton University

Founded in 1868, Hampton University is one of the nation's strongest Historically Black Colleges and Universities and a prestigious Carnegie R2-designated research institution. For more than 150 years, Hampton has prepared world-ready leaders of character and consequence through a distinctive educational experience grounded in academic excellence, leadership, innovation, and service. 

Home to students from 44 states and 32 countries and territories, the University is nationally recognized for groundbreaking research in atmospheric science, cancer research, cybersecurity, marine and environmental science, and other disciplines that address society's most pressing challenges. With an annual economic impact of $515 million across the Commonwealth of Virginia, Hampton continues to advance discovery, strengthen communities, and prepare graduates to lead with purpose in an increasingly interconnected world. Learn more at www.hamptonu.edu. 

SOURCE Hampton University