Rachel Caduri

Prof. Wishnoff

HIS 103: 91342

2 October 2012

A common argument between historians is whether racism is what brought African

American slavery to colonial America, or whether of African American slavery brought about

racism. I believe in the latter, that the presence of African American slavery caused the idea of

racism to develop. Using the reading “Race, Gender, and Servitude in Virginia Law (1661-

1691)” from Speaking of America by Laura Belmonte to support my thesis, I will prove that

African American slavery did in fact come first.

Before African American slavery was used, colonists would hire indentured servants to

work for them. Indentured servants were Africans or poor white men, who were practically

slaves with the main differences being that indentured servants were treated as people, not

property, and indentured servants worked for a certain amount of time until they earned their

freedom. The reading says, “Although Africans first arrived in 1619, their status was virtually

identical to that of indentured servants.” This quote clearly shows that before African American

slavery was introduced, African Americans were treated as equals. Once slavery came about,

they were no longer able to convert to Christianity to earn their freedom, they became lifelong

servants, and became property. Had slavery never been introduced, African Americans would

have continued to work as indentured servants alongside white folk, with the same rights as the

indentured whites and there would never have been any sort of segregation between black and

whites.

The text “Race, Gender, and Servitude in Virginia Law (1661-1691)” lists various

Virginian laws relating to fornication and relationships between servants, slaves, and masters of

both Caucasian and African American races. In March of 1661 a law stating that the

consequences for fornication between a master and an indentured servant were that the master

would have to pay a tobacco fine and the servant would have to serve another half year after her

term ended. If a child came from these relations the servant would either have to serve an extra

two years or pay a tobacco fine to the master. A little over a year later, in December of 1662,

another law was passed saying that if the relations are between a white man and an African

American and a child is produced, the status of the child will be based upon whether the mother

is free or enslaved. By 1691 laws were being passed that made interracial marriage illegal, and if

any interracial couple did get married they were banned from their colony within three months.

During the 1660’s African American slavery had just been starting up, and this is evident

based on the laws. There was no extra punishment if the relation was between a white and a

black, unless the white man or woman was a Christian. The only mention of race is in law passed

in 1662, however it isn’t specific to the woman’s race but to her status as a free African

American or enslaved African American. However, a few decades later the law passed in 1691

had strong racist vibes. This change in the ideas strengthens my opinion that African American

slavery preceded racism.

The documents in Speaking of America say that before slavery, African Americans were

able to live in the colonies as equals and work as indentured slaves. Also, the law in 1662

exemplified very few hints of racism, outside of religion, but had statements referring to African

American slavery. However, the law in 1691 directly stated a racist idea, that interracial marriage

was forbidden. This difference in themes shows that racism followed slavery. Both of these

examples from the text helped me to justify the argument that African American slavery was the

cause of racism.