Reparations for Black American Descendants of U.S. Slavery Part 10 : The First Slave Owner Was Black Argument

 

1. Historical Context: The claim often centers around Anthony Johnson, a black man in Virginia in the 17th century who reportedly owned slaves. However, it's important to contextualize this within the broader history of slavery. Slavery existed long before Johnson's time, including in ancient civilizations and among indigenous populations in America. Therefore, the notion that the concept of slavery in America began with Johnson is historically inaccurate.
   
2. Legal and Social Constructs of Slavery: The nature of slavery evolved over time. Initially, in the American colonies, there were forms of indentured servitude where individuals, regardless of race, worked for a period to pay off debts or for passage to the New World. This system was different from the racialized, hereditary chattel slavery that developed later, which was based on race and treated slaves as property in perpetuity.
3. Racial Dynamics and Power Structures: The systemic and institutionalized nature of slavery was orchestrated predominantly by white landowners and lawmakers. This system was fundamentally designed to subordinate people based on race, creating a hierarchy with whites at the top. Focusing on an individual case of a black slave owner does not reflect the overarching power dynamics and racial structures that defined slavery in America.
4. Scholarly Perspectives: Academic research provides a more nuanced understanding of slavery's history. For example, scholars like Ira Berlin have emphasized the evolution of slavery from a system of flexible servitude to a rigid, racially based institution. Berlin's work helps to understand the context in which individuals like Johnson operate.
5. Misuse of Historical Facts: The argument about a black first slave owner is sometimes used to diminish the role of white people in perpetuating slavery or to downplay the systemic racism embedded in the institution of slavery. This misuse of historical facts can be challenged by presenting a more comprehensive view of history.
6. The First Slave Rebellion was 1526: San Miguel de Gualdape, founded in 1526 by Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon, was the third Spanish settlement in North America, established after Ayllon's expeditions to South Carolina and Georgia and his obtaining a royal patent (NorthCarolinaHistory.org, n.d.). The territory, consisting of six ships and around 600-700 people, including 100 enslaved Africans, faced hardships like dysentery and conflicts with Native Americans, leading to the death of Ayllon in October 1526. This settlement is notable for the first recorded slave rebellion in North America, as enslaved Africans freed themselves and joined local Native Americans, with only 150 settlers surviving to return to Hispaniola by July 1527 (BlackPast.org, n.d.).

Reference

 

BlackPast.org. (n.d.). San Miguel de Gualdape Slave Rebellion (1526). Retrieved from https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/events-african-american-history/san-miguel-de-gualdape-slave-rebellion-1526/

ushistory.org. (n.d.). American History [ushistory.org]. https://www.ushistory.org/us/historians/berlin.asp

 North CarolinaHistory.org. (n.d.). Lucas Vasques de Ayllon (1475-1526). Retrieved from https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/lucas-vasques-de-ayllon-1475-1526/