1667

In 1667, the Virginia legislative assembly enacted a law stipulating that baptism did not grant freedom to enslaved Black individuals. This law was a significant step in codifying racial distinctions and maintaining the institution of slavery. By asserting that religious conversion, specifically baptism, would not affect the status of enslaved people, the law reinforced the notion that slavery was a permanent condition regardless of an individual’s spiritual or religious status. This legislative action highlighted the growing efforts to solidify and institutionalize racial and legal boundaries within the colony.