Talk:Anthony Johnson (American Colonial)

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Whoever said that this article is an AFD please explain your reason why. - Sfrostee

"long list of times they have been blocked"? ONCE is alot of times for a new editor?OK I guess??--68.9.116.87 04:59, 17 November 2006 (UTC)
68.9.116.87 has never been blocked for vandalism. (→Netscott) 06:14, 17 November 2006 (UTC)

Well it looks like he's a sock puppet so I was right. -Sfrostee

[edit] These words are quoted from New International Encyclopedia

JAMESTOWN The first permanent English settlement within the limits of the United States, founded in May, 1607, by a small company under Captain Newport, in Virginia, on the banks of the James River, about 32 miles from its mouth. Here in 1619 the first legislative assembly in America was held, and here in the same year slavery was first introduced into the original thirteen Colonies.

It's none of my business, of course, but this page titled Anthony Johnson (American Colonial) appears to be an attempt to claim that the first slaveholder in the United States was a Negro, not a white man who owned negroes. I have always heard that slavery was enacted by the legislature of Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. This page is at variance with all of the history books and with New International Encyclopedia, too. Velocicaptor 01:22, 30 April 2007 (UTC)


--Understood, I will fix the sentence so it is not confusing.

reread the article, you said "but this page...appears to be an attempt to claim that the first slaveholder in the United States was a Negro." It says a paragraph before "He was one of the original 20 African slaves brought to Jamestown." I fixed the confusion anyway and added a source. Sfrostee 14 May 2007

[edit] No slavery as of 1619, it was law by 1662

As an institution, slavery did not exist in Virginia in 1619. Slavery as we know it today, evolved gradually, beginning with customs rather than laws, and the institution of slavery evolved legally over a period of time, from indentured servitude to life long servitude. NPS website says that John Punch, a runaway indentured Servant, was the first documented slave for life in 1640. Virginia, Guide to The Old Dominion of the WPA Writers' Program stated that the court case of Anthony Johnson in Northampton County was the first. The NPS site goes on to say that, by 1662, slavery was recognized in the statutory law of the colony. Sources: [1] [2] Vaoverland 05:39, 15 May 2007 (UTC)

Oh so Johnson was not a slave but rather one of the first African laborers in Virginia. That must be how he bought his freedom, he was an indentured servant. I will correct it. Sfrostee 15 May 2007

"Anthony Johnson was the most wealthy freed slave ever up until the end of the Civil War 200 years later." Should this be freed slave or free Black man? Reb 12:47, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

-Anthony Johnson is one of the major reasons slave reparations can never be enacted. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dwefel (talk • contribs) 02:51, 18 January 2008 (UTC)