Etched in Clay

Book excerpt: An enslaved young man named Dave was brought to Edgefield, in the heart of South Carolina's pottery-producing area. Dave showed exceptional natural talent. Soon he was creating pieces of great beauty and often massive size. He also learnt to read and write, even though South Carolina had laws prohibiting slave literacy. Then Dave did something even more daring: he began to sign his jars and carve many of them with sayings and short poems that reflected his daily life and experiences. With these courageous acts, Dave quietly protested through his art.