John Casor was originally an indentured servant.  When he became a slave, it was through a contract of indenture, which obligated him to work for its holder for the period it set after which he was to set free.  Many of the early colonist in British North America came as indentured servants.  This was how they paid the costs to travel to the new world and set up a life outside of Europe.  But unlike most indentured servants, Casor was black.

People who completed their period of indenture went on to live free lives in the colonies.  These contracts also frequently allowed for the indentured servant to be paid some kind of small compensation like clothes, land or tools at the end of their contracts to help set them up their new lives.  This incentive allowed many former indentured to then buy other (frequently cheaper) indenture contacts. 

Unlike the white servants who were traded in this indenture system, Africans who were indentured in British North America often entered their contracts against their will. Casor’s indenture was purchased by Anthony Johnson. Johnson, a former indentured servant who had served out his contract and went on to run his own tobacco farm and hold his own indentured servants.  among them Casor who was one of the original 20 “Angolan” slaves brought to the colony in 1619.

Casor served his contract for the full term but Johnson added year to the contract for “expenses and upkeep.”  This led to a disagreement about whether or not Casor’s contract completed.  Casor claimed that he had served his indenture and seven more years on top of that. Fearing that their “Angolan” slaves would also demand freedom, the judges court sided with Johnson, who claimed that Casor’s contract was for life.

In an earlier case, another African slave, John Punch, had run away from his indenture holder.  The court sentenced Punch as a criminal to a life in servitude.  Johnson similarly claimed that Casor, by filing suit, was attempting to escape his contract.  The court agreed and sentenced him to slavery for life.  About seven years later, Virginia made this practice legal for all African slaves.  In 1661, state law declared that black servants were not a citizens of the colony and could be enslaved for life.

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