Ibram X. Kendi | Teaching Hard History: American Slavery, Key Concept 1

Summary

Elizabeth Key, daughter of a Virginia legislator and an enslaved African woman, was granted freedom at 15 by her father's will. Despite her new master's defiance, she sued for her freedom with the help of her white, indentured servant lover, William Greenstead, and won due to her Christian status and paternal freedom. This victory inspired other mixed-race Christians to seek freedom, prompting Virginia slaveholders to change laws, making children's status derive from the mother and allowing no freedom suits based on Christianity. These changes reflected the economic reliance on enslaved labor for tobacco plantations, a booming industry in colonial Virginia.

Takeaways

• 📜 The wealth of colonial America and the United States is deeply tied to the history of slavery.
• 👨‍🦳 Thomas Key, a Virginia legislator, willed for his daughter Elizabeth Key to be freed at 15, but her new master defied his wishes.
• 💞 Elizabeth Key met William Greenstead, a white indentured servant with legal training, and they developed a romantic relationship.
• 👶 Elizabeth and William had a child, and they sued for her and their child's freedom after her new master's death in 1655.
• 🏛️ They won their case based on Elizabeth's argument that her father was free and she was a Christian, which was against British law to enslave.
• 👶 The child's status was derived from the father, which contributed to their victory in court.
• 📜 By 1657, Elizabeth Key had won her freedom, setting a precedent for other enslaved Africans with similar backgrounds to sue for freedom.
• 🤝 The success of Elizabeth Key's case led to an increase in freedom suits by other enslaved individuals with white fathers and Christian faith.
• 🛑 In response, Virginia leaders, who were slaveholders, changed the laws to prevent such freedom suits, stating the child's status derived from the mother.
• 🚫 The new laws also allowed for the enslavement of Christians, effectively stopping freedom suits based on religious conversion.
• 🌾 The maintenance of slavery was crucial for Virginia's economy, which relied on the labor force for growing tobacco, a major product in colonial times.
• 🔄 The shift from white indentured servants to enslaved Africans represented a change in labor dynamics, with the latter providing a more permanent workforce.

Q & A

Who was Elizabeth Key's father, and what was his status?

Elizabeth Key's father was Thomas Key, a legislator from Virginia, who was a free man.

What did Thomas Key arrange for his daughter before his death?

Before his death, Thomas Key arranged for his daughter, Elizabeth Key, to be freed at 15 years old.

Why did Elizabeth Key sue for her freedom in 1655?

Elizabeth Key sued for her freedom because her father's will stipulated that she should be freed, and she argued that as a Christian and the daughter of a free man, she should not be enslaved.

Who assisted Elizabeth Key in her legal battle, and what was their relationship?

William Greenstead, a white indentured servant with some legal training, assisted Elizabeth Key in her legal battle. They had a romantic relationship and a child together.

What were the key arguments that led to Elizabeth Key winning her case?

Elizabeth Key won her case by arguing that her father was free and that she was a Christian. Under British law at the time, Christians could not be enslaved, and the child's status was derived from the father.

What changes did Virginia leaders make to the law in response to cases like Elizabeth Key's?

In response to cases like Elizabeth Key's, Virginia leaders changed the laws in the 1660s to state that the status of the child was derived from the mother and that enslaved Christians could no longer sue for their freedom based on their Christianity.

Why were the new laws in the 1660s crucial for maintaining slavery in Virginia?

The new laws were crucial for maintaining slavery in Virginia because they ensured a steady labor force by preventing enslaved Africans from winning their freedom through legal means, which was vital for the colony's economy, particularly in tobacco cultivation.

How did the legal changes in the 1660s reflect the economic priorities of Virginia?

The legal changes in the 1660s reflected Virginia's economic priorities by solidifying the institution of slavery, which was essential for the colony's wealth, especially in the booming tobacco industry.

What impact did Elizabeth Key's case have on other enslaved Africans in Virginia?

Elizabeth Key's case inspired other enslaved Africans who were Christians and had white fathers to sue for their freedom, leading to a series of legal challenges that ultimately prompted changes in the law.

Why was the status of the child changed to be derived from the mother instead of the father?

The status of the child was changed to be derived from the mother instead of the father to prevent the growing number of freedom suits from enslaved Africans who were born to white fathers, thereby protecting the interests of slaveholders.