Storage Jar

In 1797, Thomas Commeraw began operating his pottery in Corlears Hook on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Commeraw specialized in making larger vessels adorned with his name and location and oyster jars for oyster men to ship and sell their wares. Disillusioned with the persistence of racial mistreatment, Commeraw worked alongside the American Colonization Society (ACS) and fought for the abolition of slavery. His fight for freedom led to him openly advocating for Blacks to relocate to a country where they could truly be free. In 1820, Commeraw set out for Sierra Leone with the ACS. By 1822, Commeraw and his family returned to New York after experiencing extreme hardships in Sierra Leone. While his sojourn did not meet his expectations, his oyster jars traveled far, with some found in countries as far away as Guyana.