First Black Man Enslaved for Life in America

In 1655, a Virginia court made a landmark ruling that changed American history. The case involved Anthony Johnson, a formerly indentured African laborer turned landowner, and his worker John Casor. Casor claimed he had served his indenture period and deserved freedom. Johnson argued Casor was his permanent property. The court sided with Johnson, making John Casor the first person of African descent declared a slave for life in the English colonies.

The Indentured Servitude System

Before this ruling, many laborers arrived as indentured servants. These individuals, both white and black, worked under fixed-term contracts. After fulfilling their service, they received freedom and sometimes land or tools. This system provided colonial landowners with necessary labor. Anthony Johnson himself arrived as an indentured servant, later establishing his own successful tobacco farm. He eventually held several indentured laborers, including John Casor.

A Turning Point for Slavery

The court’s decision marked a critical shift. It transformed Casor’s legal status from a temporary servant into permanent, inheritable property. This case set a dangerous precedent for race-based slavery. Unlike a previous case where a black man, John Punch, received a life sentence as punishment for escaping, Casor was enslaved simply due to the court’s ruling on his status. This moment was a defining moment for institutional slavery in America.

As detailed in the complete version, there are several key factors to consider.

Legalizing Hereditary Bondage

Just six years later, Virginia codified this practice into law. The 1661 statute legalized slavery, allowing any free person—white, black, or Indian—to own slaves. This ruling and the subsequent laws paved the way for the racially based slave system that would define the South for centuries. The case of John Casor represents a pivotal and tragic turning point, moving the colonies toward the full-scale, hereditary enslavement of people of African descent. This legal shift created a foundation for slavery that would last for generations.