Title

Slavery, 1940s. Creator: Melinda O. Smith.

Caption

Slavery, 1940s. 'What is slavery? Slavery is involuntary servitude for life without pay. The first Negroes brought to the continental colonies were few and they served largely as industrial servants. So closely attached to the homes of their masters that they were treated like members of the family. They had the same status as that of the white felons and convicsts imported into our country to serve a definite period. After serving their masters a few years, the indentured servant could become free. This happened in the case of some of the first twenty Negroes brought to Jamestown in 1619. It has been said the [that?] Anthony Johnson one of these Negroes not only gained his freedom, but became a slave holder himself...'. Note in margin: '[Carter G.] Woodson p.82'.

Credit line

Photo12/Heritage Images/Heritage Art

Reference

HRM23A04_082

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

License type

Rights managed

Available size

21,9Mb (712,9Kb) / 8,1in x 10,5in / 2420 x 3158 (300dpi)

Keywords

people black library country society letter text location century Colonial handwriting document correspondence African American African-American 1940s afro-american slavery lettering public library MONOCHROME Forties United States of America servitude 20th century New York Public Library NYPL heritage American America USA colonialism decade united states cultural heritage Black History Heritage Art Schomburg Center for Research Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture essays Melinda O. Smith Smith Melinda O.