New York Historical Society Crafting Freedom: The Life and Legacy of Free Black Potter Thomas W. Commeraw contextualizes the life of Thomas Commeraw (c. 1771-1823), a liberated black man who became a prominent potter in New York. Despite his success, Commeraw’s identity has been misinterpreted by scholars, as interest in early American pottery increased around the turn of the 20th century. Commeraw was assumed to be white and of French descent, in part because of the frequent misspelling of his name as “Commerau”. This misrepresentation was corrected in 2003 when a researcher discovered his name in the 1800 federal census, which listed him as black. The exhibit includes a reproduction of this census, as well as vessels, artwork and ephemera that tell Commeraw’s personal stories, as well as the collective history of American pottery and the culture and politics of New York. at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century.
The exhibition features more than 20 utilitarian stoneware vessels from Commeraw alongside several other potters of the time. Commeraw’s workshop produced thousands of objects, competing with more than a dozen leading potters working to support Manhattan’s population, which had exploded with European immigrants. It was the only black-owned pottery business in New York City, and it faced discrimination throughout its career. Many of his competitors were long-established white craftsmen – some descendants of the family in whose household he had been enslaved. Over time, the heavy, durable wares became collectibles, surviving on Commeraw’s skill and prominently engraved with his signature and the location of his workshop, an example of early branding. Fragments of his work have been found in the New York area, as well as in ports and remote sites around the world, demonstrating his reach.
In addition to his bold signature, Commeraw adorned the surfaces with decorative patterns that were applied with cobalt and changed with the trends, for example, flowers and patterns that resemble undulating draperies. Examples of the work of competing potters provide a close look at the degrees of skill and the development of pottery styles at the time.
The show preserves both Commeraw’s history and American history more broadly. Cylindrical oyster jars, for example, document the legacy of black oyster farmers who ran the trade at the time and used jars to hold pickled oysters. Many have commissioned Commeraw to make them, stamped with their names and addresses, a shrewd move that echoes the potter’s own brand image. The oyster trade was one of the ways liberated black New Yorkers asserted their place in society and fought endless oppression. Other means included political debate, a form of activism in which Commeraw engaged, as well as artistic and literary expression, which gave rise to new black initiatives such as schools, theaters and newspapers. .
Ephemera from these black businesses are on display, as are prints, paintings, letters, and diaries that chronicle the political and economic circumstances of Commeraw and New York society at large. After working successfully from the late 1790s to 1819, he faced financial difficulties, like many business owners after the War of 1812. At the same time, he decided that citizenship was impossible under increased oppression. and, in 1820, he and 80 other freed Blacks emigrated to Sierra Leone on the first voyage of the American Colonization Society (ACS). The trip was deadly for many and was important in demonstrating how the ACS perpetuated racist views and supported the idea that liberated black people should not assimilate into society. Commeraw stayed in Sierra Leone for two years before returning to the United States. He reported the experience in newspapers, reproductions of which are on the show, alongside similar heartbreaking accounts from other black settlers. In 1823, shortly after returning to the United States, he died in Baltimore.
The exhibition tells much more than the story of Commeraw’s life. The objects and ephemera on display offer a remarkable account of New York society at the time, a testament to the research that has been carried out for the exhibition and since his true identity was uncovered in 2003 to recontextualize Commeraw’s work. Although her story is personal, it reflects the reality that liberated black people faced across New York. The exhibition is a powerful reminder of the importance of decorative arts and material culture in preserving and sharing collective history and ensuring that successes and oppression are not forgotten.
Crafting Freedom: The Life and Legacy of Free Black Potter Thomas W. Commeraw continues at the New-York Historical Society (170 Central Park West, Upper West Side Manhattan) until May 28. The exhibit was curated by New York Historical Society Vice President and Museum Director Margi Hofer, Commeraw potter and scholar Mark Shapiro, and Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Women’s History and Public History Allison Robinson.
