David Drake, also known as Dave the Potter, was an American potter and a poet presumed to have been born into slavery around the year 1800. Drake lived in Edgefield, SC, and produced large alkaline-glazed stoneware jugs. Commercialized pottery was vital to the Edgefield community. It was the skills of enslaved persons like David Drake that allowed pottery to become a successful industry for the area. While David Drake’s jugs were made as utilitarian pieces, they have been appreciated for their artistry and craftsmanship as well as their role as objects of resistance in more recent years. In 1834, South Carolina intensified its anti-literacy laws, forbidding enslaved people to read or write. Pottery made by enslaved labor was generally marked or stamped indicating the enslaver. However, Drake resisted this racist practice. In addition to his enslaver’s initials, Drake was known for inscribing the pieces that he made with a variety of writings. This often included his name and the date, claiming credit as the vessel’s creator. The jug acquired by the museum is signed “Dave” and includes the date “1858” inscribed prominently on its shoulder. Other times, Drake went even further by inscribing short poems or singular words. This act of putting his literacy on display and refusing to remain invisible made each jug an act of defiance.