History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880

George Washington Williams's History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880 is a foundational work in the objective study of Black history in the United States. It was the first comprehensive account to prioritize historical accuracy over apologetics or propaganda.1

The narrative begins in 1619 with the arrival of twenty Africans in Jamestown, Virginia. Initially, these individuals were treated as indentured servants, a status shared by many European settlers, and some eventually gained their freedom. However, by the 1660s, the large-scale importation of Africans increased, and by 1750, chattel slavery was legally established across all English colonies. By 1790, Black people constituted nearly one-fifth of the U.S. population. Williams's work meticulously details this period, covering the transition from indentured servitude to enslavement and its profound impact on the nation's development up to 1880.231