The White Lion facts for kids
The White Lion was an English ship that acted as a privateer. This means it was a private ship allowed by a government to attack enemy ships. The White Lion had permission from the Dutch government to do this. In 1619, this ship brought the first Africans to the English colony of Virginia. This happened a year before the famous Mayflower ship arrived in New England.
The Africans on the White Lion were sold as indentured servants. This meant they had to work for a certain number of years to pay off a debt, usually for their travel. However, this event is seen as the beginning of slavery for Africans in the American colonies.
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Early African Arrivals in America
Africans arrived in what is now the United States even before the White Lion.
First Known Arrivals
The first known enslaved Africans arrived in 1526. They were part of a Spanish trip led by Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón. This trip explored the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. Some of these enslaved people escaped. They might have joined Native American tribes, if they survived.
Other Spanish Expeditions
In 1527, an enslaved man named Estevanico joined a Spanish expedition. Enslaved Africans also traveled with Hernando de Soto to Florida in 1539. They were also present when the Spanish founded St. Augustine, Florida in 1565.
The Journey of the White Lion
The Africans on the White Lion likely came from a large group captured in 1618-1619. These captives were taken by African raiders, who were fighting the Kingdom of Ndongo. Portuguese leaders were also involved in these raids.
Capture from a Portuguese Ship
These specific Africans were on a Portuguese slave ship called the São João Bautista. This ship had left Luanda, Angola, which was a Portuguese settlement. The White Lion and another privateer ship, the Treasurer, stopped the São João Bautista. This happened while the Portuguese ship was sailing to what is now Veracruz in Mexico.
Sharing the Captives
The White Lion and the Treasurer captured some of the Africans from the Portuguese ship. They shared the captives. They did this under special permissions from the Dutch leader, Maurice, Prince of Orange.
Arrival in Virginia
The captain of the White Lion, John Colyn Jope, then sailed to the Virginia colony. His goal was to sell the African captives. The ship first landed at Point Comfort. This place is now part of Hampton Roads, Virginia.
What Happened After Arrival
John Rolfe, who was the secretary of the Virginia colony, wrote about the White Lion's arrival. He explained that the ship arrived in late August.
The Sale of Africans
Captain Jope brought "20. and odd Negroes." The governor and a merchant bought these people. They traded food for them, as the ship needed supplies. This shows how the first Africans were brought into the English colony.
First African-American Birth
After being sold, two of the indentured servants, Isabella and Anthony, got married. In 1624, they had a child named William Tucker. He was named after a planter in Virginia. William Tucker was the first recorded person of African background born in English America.
