Last summer, George C. Fatheree III J.D. ’07, P ’28, LMU board member and graduate of LMU Loyola Law School’s JD evening program, enlisted art history alumnus Ryan Maroun ’25 to conduct research for the repatriation of an enslaved artist’s artwork. This fall, their effort saw its first victory when The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) announced a historic agreement: After more than a century, the museum has restored rightful ownership of two vessels to the descendants of David Drake, also known as Dave the Potter.
David Drake—an enslaved potter in 19th‑century Edgefield, South Carolina—created large alkaline‑glazed stoneware jars, some inscribed with his name, dates, and original poetry. His literacy and authorship of the pieces were radical acts within a system that criminalized enslaved people learning to read or write. According to MFA’s announcement, his case marks the first time the Museum has resolved an ownership claim for works of art that were wrongfully taken under the conditions of slavery.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of this case. It is the first time that an enslaved artist’s work is being repatriated under this legal model, and it will create a pathway for the return of other works by disenfranchised artists,” Associate Professor of Art History Melody Rod-ari writes.
Fatheree, a nationally recognized attorney and social‑impact leader, engaged Rod-ari for her expertise in cultural heritage reparation. After leading the historic Bruce’s Beach land‑return case, Fatheree began receiving hundreds of calls from families, seeking help reclaiming land or property unjustly taken from their ancestors. Because U.S. law offers almost no remedies for such historical losses, he was often unable to assist, which he described as deeply frustrating. Fatheree connected with David Drake’s descendants after a vague inquiry about lost land unexpectedly revealed a genealogical connection to the enslaved potter. Fatheree met with the family, learned Drake’s story in depth, and began exploring how ethical restitution—rather than traditional legal pathways—could return Drake’s works to his descendants.
To take on the challenge, Fatheree needed a researcher to help locate, track, and analyze the institutional histories of Drake’s surviving pots. This work required someone capable of deep methodical research and out‑of‑the‑box problem‑solving. Rod-ari immediately thought of Maroun because he is a strong researcher who thinks critically and creatively—crucial attributes for provenance research where information is often incomplete or hidden.
During, “Reclaiming David Drake: The Legacy and Restitution of Drake’s Ceramic Art,” the latest installation in the KaleidoLA Speaker Series, Fatheree emphasized the importance of selecting the right institutional partner—one with a record of ethical restitution—and the need to navigate contemporary political climates, museum policies, and the complexities of provenance research.
According to MFA, the agreement aligns with other resolutions the museum has reached regarding artworks that were transferred without their owners’ consent, including during the Holocaust. “In achieving this resolution, the MFA recognizes that Drake was deprived of his creations involuntarily and without compensation,” their statement reads.
Fatheree developed a new model for ethical ownership, including certificates that distinguish legitimately reclaimed works from those still circulating without descendant involvement. Maroun, whose research was central to the case, built the first comprehensive institutional and market catalog of Drake’s known works. His research uncovered the extent to which museums and private collectors benefited financially from Drake’s pottery—over $5 million in sales in recent decades—while his descendants historically received nothing.
“Not only did Ryan create the most comprehensive catalogue of Drake’s work in U.S. museums and collections, he also helped to craft the Certificate of Ethical Ownership that is being used,” Rod-ari explained.
Maroun’s work helped determine the strategic starting point for restitution efforts and revealed how museums described Drake’s authorship but rarely addressed the provenance complexities tied to slavery.
Maroun reflected on how his Art History Junior/Senior Seminar prepared him for the work. It encouraged him to examine different approaches to critical thinking specific to art history. “[The seminar] changed my perspective on everything I had learned previously. And I think the research it encourages is what helped me the most,” Maroun said.
Though Maroun isn’t pursuing a career in provenance research, the experience sets him up for a career in art. “I would love to get into the gallery world,” he said. “I go to as many openings as I can. I’m an active collector, and this project specifically has influenced how I go about doing that.” He is currently focusing on supporting accessible art collecting and championing hyper‑local Los Angeles artists.
Fatheree plans to continue working towards the project’s long‑term vision: not only returning works but creating a community‑building model that honors Drake’s poetry and reunites his descendants through education funds, public access to the artwork, and an open call for genealogical reconnection.
For Fatheree, the achievement is inseparable from LMU’s unique environment and values. “Not only is it not a coincidence that an LMU team is responsible for this,” he said. “It couldn’t have happened anywhere else… [LMU] is a special place, and it’s a place that results in things that have never happened before, that have profound, and meaningful, and, hopefully, long-lasting social good and social impact.”
Bryant Keith Alexander, dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts, echoes the sentiments of Fatheree in saying, “The ethical and justice-driven values of LMU makes meaningful impact to campus and a necessarily ever-widening sense of society. The critical training of an LMU Art History education prepares students to make a difference in the world. We are forever grateful for the work that George Fatheree has done in this historic accomplishment. And that he involved Ryan Maroun and the expertise of Dr. Melody Rod-ari speak volumes to this important program in CFA and the university at-large.”
