About This Lesson
Etched in Clay: The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet written & illustrated by Andrea Cheng from Lee & Low Books. Around 1815 an enslaved young man named Dave learned to make pots and jars. He also learned to read and write, in spite of South Carolina’s strongly-held fear of slave literacy. Dave began to carve his jars with sayings and poems that reflected his experiences. He spoke out against slavery not by protesting or revolting, but by daring to write at all. Andrea Cheng has crafted a biography in verse. Here are three ways to use Etched in Clay in the classroom.
