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Anthony Johnson (Introduction)
Click here for more information! Anthony Johnson was an African of Anglican religion. He was marched to Luanda, shortly after his capture, for deportation to the Dutch. On his journey, the ship that he was on was captured by pirates. Eventually, he made it to Colonial Virginia, where he was kept as a slave on the Bennett Plantation. Little did he know that his life was going to get very good, and then very, very bad. -
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Lives of Anthony Johnson and Sons
This is the most horrible time in history for negroes, but still Anthony made it work with hard work, dedication, and sheer optimism. -
The Council Wants Everyone to be Armed Except Negroes
Click here for more information! The law now states that Negroes will not be provided arms and will not be able to carry a firearm, unless they want to be fined by the Governer and the council. This law will take away the sense of security and will deprive the Negroes of their main hunting tool. This will make the Negroes more dependent on the Englishmen again, therefore diminishing any gained security for the Negroes. -
Anthony Johnson Aquires Land
Click for more information! Anthony Johnson divided the land with Captain Taylor. This is signifigant because Anthony can now own land, livestock, and he can grow crops and sell them for a profit. -
Anthony Johnson Goes On Trial
Anthony Johnson goes to trial in 1654, to petition for his slave, John Casar. When Captain Samuel Goldsmyth came to recieve a "hoghead" of tobacco, John Casar said that his "contract" with Anthony was over. So, Captain Goldsmyth took John Casar, since his servitude with Anthony was over. Anthony argued that John Casar was his slave and was there for life. The court was adjourned and reopened later that year, and Anthony won and got his slave back. -
Anthony Johnson Goes on Trial (part 2)
Click here for more information! Anthony was most probably the first black man to win a case against a white man. This showed the Englishmen that people of African descent aren't entirely uneducated, and that they were people too. -
Baptism Does Not Exempt Slaves from Bondage (part 2)
Also, if Anthony's grandchildren are slaves, they cannot escape bondage by baptizing. The Englishmen felt more powerful and dominent, while African slaves scrambled with discomfort, seeing the dark days of merciless dependence that awaited them. -
Baptism Does Not Exempt Slaves from Bondage
Click here for more information! Anthony Johnson was set free because he was baptized. Now, landowners are cutting their losses, and not letting slaves free, because they have been baptized. The Council should have considered that everyone respected the Siete Partidas laws which stated that a Christian slave couldn't be held for life. This is important because now, Africans will not bother to change their religions or their ways of life, and values. -
The "Casual" Killing of Slaves is Made a Law (part 2)
Also, this is where the Englishmen really stated that slaves were property. -
The "Casual" Killing of Slaves is Made a Law
Click here for more information! Now, the council has decide upon a law that states that if slaves are killed during a punishment, the master will not be held accountable for murder. This is impotant to Anthony, because his grandchildren, or close family could be beaten to death, and the master can get away with it. -
Conclusion
Anthony Johnson was a big success for his people, but the laws that the government made to oppress people of African descent, brought his descendents back to square one. Words cannot describe Anthony Johnson's life, but here is a good try.
"Slavery is theft -- theft of a life, theft of work, theft of any property or produce, theft even of the children a slave might have borne."
-KEVIN BALES
