In the early 1800s, South Carolinian businesses used enslaved labor to create a booming stoneware pottery industry in the Edgefield District. The artistry and durability of this pottery created an enduring legacy reflective of the complex social issues of Polk’s America. Katherine Hughes brings considerable research and insight into times and techniques of these enslaved craftsmen.

Hughes conducted research as the Peggy N. Gerry Research Scholar at the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is currently serving as Graduate Research Assistant at MTSU's Center for historic Preservation.