>>513535004 (OP)Black man took his indentured servant to court and started slavery.
The court case involving John Casor and Anthony Johnson in 1655 is considered the first legal sanction of slavery in the United States. This case established the legal precedent for lifelong servitude based on race in the British colonies. While other cases involved indentured servitude and the legal treatment of Africans, this one is seen as the first to define someone as a slave for life.
Elaboration:
The Case:
John Casor, an African man, was initially an indentured servant to Anthony Johnson. Casor claimed his contract had expired, but Johnson argued it was a lifelong servitude.
The Ruling:
The Northampton County Court sided with Johnson, ruling that Casor was to be returned to Johnson as a slave for life, marking the first legal recognition of perpetual enslavement in the colonies.
Significance:
This case established the legal precedent for slavery based on race, with the court ruling in favor of lifelong servitude for Casor. It is considered a landmark case in the history of slavery in the United States.
Distinction from other early cases:
While other cases like that of John Punch, who was sentenced to lifelong servitude in 1640, are also significant in the history of slavery, the Johnson/Casor case is unique because it was the first to be decided in civil court and explicitly defined the individual as a slave for life based on race
