In an act passed during the 1671 legislative session, the Assembly expressly stated that the baptism of an enslaved person would not lead to freedom. Some enslaved people had sued for their freedom as baptized Christians, but this law prohibited that and enabled slaveholders to teach the gospel and convert their enslaved people without fear of losing them.
Timeline
Planning Your Visit
Themes: African American People and Culture, Civic Ideas and Action
Timeframes: 1607 – 1763 Colonization
Audience: College, General Public, High School, Middle School, Teacher