What does the story of Anthony Johnson a black man in early Virginia tell us about blacks in general in the colonies before the 1670's?

Answer 1

The story of Anthony Johnson, a Black man in early Virginia, illustrates that before the 1670s, some Africans in the colonies could achieve a degree of autonomy and success. Johnson, who arrived as an indentured servant, eventually acquired land, became a property owner, and even had the legal status of a free man. His life reflects a period when race-based distinctions were not yet fully entrenched in colonial society, suggesting that there were opportunities for upward mobility for some Black individuals. However, this relative freedom was short-lived, as the legal and social structures soon shifted towards rigid racial hierarchies.