Read the following inscription incised on a storage jar created by David Drake (known as 'Dave the Potter'), an enslaved artisan in Edgefield, South Carolina, in 1857:
'I wonder where is all my relations / Friendship to all—and, every nation'
Which of the following historical conclusions is best supported by Drake's inclusion of written verses on his pottery?
- It demonstrates how enslaved artisans used their specialized labor to assert their personal identity and literacy in defiance of legal prohibitions against education.Answer
- BIt indicates that because Drake did not participate in physical flight or armed uprisings, his pottery cannot be historically categorized as a form of resistance.
- CIt provides evidence of Drake’s attempts to organize and establish a permanent, self-governing maroon community of artisans.
- DIt reflects his adaptation of West African cosmologies into simplistic animistic symbols designed to protect the plantation's kilns from damage.
Answer
It demonstrates how enslaved artisans used their specialized labor to assert their personal identity and literacy in defiance of legal prohibitions against education.
The correct answer identifies that David Drake’s practice of signing and writing poetry on his pottery was an act of everyday resistance. By displaying literacy and maintaining a distinct sense of self-identity and familial loss ('where is all my relations') on commercial goods, Drake resisted the legal framework of South Carolina, which criminalized teaching enslaved people to read and write.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Everyday Resistance and Cultural Retention
Estimated Time:1m 30s