Monday, September 29, 2014
American colonial recognition of slavery dates
"1641...
"Massachusetts was the first colony to recognize slavery as a legal institution. Sanctions concerning slavery are found in section 91 of the "Body of Liberties," which reads:
'There shall never be any bond slaverie, vilinage or Captivitie amongst us, unless they be lawful Captives taken in just warrs, and such strangers as willingly sell themselves or are sold to us. And these shall have all the liberties of Christian usages which the law of God established in Isreall...This exempts none from servitude who shall be judged thereto by Authoritie.'
"These words authorized not only African slavery, but slavery of Native Americans and Europeans as well. Other colonies followed with statutory recognition of slavery: Connecticut, 1650; Virginia, 1661; Maryland, 1664; New York and New Jersey, 1664;South Carolina, 1682; Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, 1700; North Carolina, 1715; and Georgia, 1750."
p.10, BLACK SAGA:THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, A CHRONOLOGY, by Charles M. Christian (Civitas/Counterpoint, NY:1999)