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dave the slave book

updated tue 11 nov 08

 

Kathy Forer on sun 9 nov 08


On Nov 9, 2008, at 7:24 PM, Paul Lewing wrote:

> For those of you who
> don't know, Dave was an African American slave in the middle years of
> the 19th century, just before the Civil War. He's one of only a
> handful of slaves from that time that we know anything about as an
> individual.

This is very problematic. While there are fewer narratives throughout
time by all sorts of people who were neither socially enfranchised nor
generally literate, such narratives do exist in far more profusion
than a 'handful'.

A link to North American Slave Narratives, at least 43 "Written by
Himself",
Total autobiographies, 1745-1999: 204
Total biographies, 1734-1940: 92
http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/index.html

The book you describe sounds like a very compelling and unique story.


Kathy Forer
www.kforer.com

gayle bair on sun 9 nov 08


More info
http://www.sciway.net/afam/dave-slave-potter.html
http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/stoneware0904.htm
http://www.leonardtodd.com/

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island WA
Tucson AZ
gayle@claybair.com
www.claybair.com





On Nov 9, 2008, at 4:24 PM, Paul Lewing wrote:

> I read a review in my local paper today about a new book about Dave
> the Slave, called, "Carolina Clay: The Life & Legend of the Slave
> Potter Dave", by Leonard Todd. Evidently this guy found out that he
> was related to the white family that had owned Dave, and moved to
> South Carolina for a few years to research him. For those of you who
> don't know, Dave was an African American slave in the middle years of
> the 19th century, just before the Civil War. He's one of only a
> handful of slaves from that time that we know anything about as an
> individual. There were a lot of slave potters of course, but Dave
> was one of the only ones who signed his pots, because he was one of
> the few who was literate. In fact, he was so literate that many of
> his pots have poems written on them.
> Paul Lewing
> www.paullewingtile.com

Paul Lewing on sun 9 nov 08


I read a review in my local paper today about a new book about Dave
the Slave, called, "Carolina Clay: The Life & Legend of the Slave
Potter Dave", by Leonard Todd. Evidently this guy found out that he
was related to the white family that had owned Dave, and moved to
South Carolina for a few years to research him. For those of you who
don't know, Dave was an African American slave in the middle years of
the 19th century, just before the Civil War. He's one of only a
handful of slaves from that time that we know anything about as an
individual. There were a lot of slave potters of course, but Dave
was one of the only ones who signed his pots, because he was one of
the few who was literate. In fact, he was so literate that many of
his pots have poems written on them.
Paul Lewing
www.paullewingtile.com

Lee Love on mon 10 nov 08


On Sun, Nov 9, 2008 at 6:24 PM, Paul Lewing wrote:
> I read a review in my local paper today about a new book about Dave
> the Slave, called, "Carolina Clay: The Life & Legend of the Slave
> Potter Dave", by Leonard Todd.

Thanks Paul. This is very timely.

It is checked out at my library, but I am the second person to put a
hold on it. Folks can read more about it here:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/7-9780393058567-1

and

http://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Clay-Legend-Slave-Potter/dp/0393058565
--
Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://togeika.multiply.com/journal
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
http://claycraft.blogspot.com/

"Myth is cultural DNA, the software, the unconscious information, the
program that governs the way we see 'reality.'" --Sam Keen