Virginia Declares Slaves for Life
In 1682, the Virginia legislative assembly enacted a law that codified the status of imported Africans as lifelong slaves, a significant development in the legal framework governing slavery in the colony. This law solidified the racial and perpetual nature of slavery for Africans, further entrenching the institution of chattel slavery in Virginia. The enactment of this law without the King’s assent underscored the increasing autonomy of colonial legislatures in shaping their own legal systems and their role in institutionalizing and expanding the practice of slavery.