Newark Museum of Art restores ownership of David Drake jug to family

The Newark Museum of Art in New Jersey agreed to return ownership of a 1852 ceramic jug to the descendants of David Drake, an enslaved potter from South Carolina.

The museum will purchase the vessel back from the family to keep it in its permanent collection. This move follows a series of similar repatriation agreements involving other institutions and Drake's heirs.

The Newark Museum of Art initially acquired the jug in 2022 to help tell the history of enslaved labor in its American art galleries. Following an agreement between the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Drake family, the Newark Museum began a dialogue with the artist's descendants to explore a similar arrangement. The museum's leadership and board members approved the plan to restore the work to the family before reacquiring it.

The museum decided on a purchase price of approximately $135,000 for the vessel after obtaining several appraisals. Drake's family members stated that keeping the pots in public view is important because of the artist's status in art and Black history. The museum intends to continue using the work to educate the public about the history of enslavement.