First Legal Slave Owner in America Was Black, Black Man Help Create American Slavery

Описание: Anthony Johnson is the "plot twist" of colonial history. His story challenges almost every assumption people have about the origins of American slavery. He was a Black man who achieved freedom, wealth, and land ownership in 1600s Virginia—and then, in a shocking turn of events, became the plaintiff in the first civil case to legally recognize lifetime slavery for another Black man (John Casor).

In 1621, "Antonio a Negro" arrived in Virginia as an indentured servant. He survived the Powhatan attack of 1622, worked off his contract, and became Anthony Johnson—a free man and wealthy landowner. But his most famous legacy isn't his success; it's a court case he filed in 1655 against a white neighbor.

This video explores the complex life of Anthony Johnson. We detail how he utilized the "headright" system to acquire 250 acres of land and how he went to court to claim his servant, John Casor, was his property for life—not just an indentured servant. The court ruled in Johnson's favor, a decision historians cite as a critical moment in the shift from temporary servitude to permanent racial slavery

History is rarely black and white. Join us as we unpack one of the most surprising and debated figures in early American history.

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