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Da Costa Leads French Expedition
Mathieu Da Costa, the French free black explorer, headed a French trip up Lake Champlain and parts of Canada. -
First Africans Arrive to English Colonies
About 20 Africans became indentured servants for the colony of Jamestown. -
Tucker Born
William Tucker, the first free African-American born in the English colonies, comes into the world and is baptized in Virginia. -
Introduction of Slaves
Slaves were introduced that year by the Dutch West India Company. -
De Sousa Elected to Maryland General Assembly.
African-American Mathias De Sousa becomes a member of Maryland’s General Assembly. De Sousa was previously an indentured servant under Cecelius Calvert and came from England. -
Johnson Imports Slaves
Anthony Johnson, a free African American, imports a bunch black slaves and receives a large land grant in Virginia. Some other free blacks do the same type of thing. -
Rhode Island Passes First Anti-Slavery Law
Rhode Island enacted the first anti-slavery law in the English colonies at this time, limiting slavery to ten years. -
No Blacks Permitted In Militia
In 1660, Massachusetts passed a law that no African American could serve in the Militia. -
Doctrine of Partus Passed
This law stated that any child born in the colony would follow that status of its mother for life. -
Failed Attempt at Rebellion
Black and white indentured servants plan an uprising in Virginia, but their plot is discovered and the leaders are killed. -
Birth of Royal African Company
King Charles of England began the Royal African Company, which for the next 50 years was the largest company in the slave trade. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon’s Rebellion, a rebellion in Virginia protesting indentured servants’ rights and policies of the colonies towards Indians, worried plantation owners that their slaves might do the same thing. -
First Slave Codes in New York
New York State enacts its first slave codes. These laws limiting African-American rights restricts movement and the ability to trade of all enslaved people. -
Quakers Speak Out
The Quakers, a relatively disiked religious group based in Pennsylvania, denounce slavery in the first formal protest against slavery in North America. -
First African-American School Opens
Rev. Samuel Thomas opens up the first school for African Americans in the British North American colonies in Charleston, South Carolina.