1668

In 1668, the Virginia legislative assembly enacted a law concerning the taxation of free Black individuals. This law specifically imposed a tax on free Black women over the age of 16, in contrast to white women, who were not taxed. This legislative action reflected the growing legal and social distinctions between races in colonial Virginia. It was part of a broader pattern of laws designed to entrench racial hierarchies and reinforce economic disparities, further institutionalizing the systemic racial inequalities of the period.