I am writing a research paper about Slavery and Indentured Servitude before Bacon's Rebellion, but I am not sure if Black Indentured Servants existed. I thought it did at first from my 10 second Google search, however, my professor disagrees. In order to change her mind, she tells me to find a primary source stating that Black Indentured Servants existed.

I've done some more research now and found out about this person named Anthony Johnson, who came to Virginia as a Black Slave, but was given freedom and eventually owned land and had servants of his own. Apparently he also made one of his servants into the first legal Slave in America.

Some other sites states that the line between Blacks and Indentured Servants were blurred in the 17th century until Slave laws came about; early documents would reference "Servants" to both Black "Slaves" and White Indentured Servants.

Another source says that there were records which indicates Blacks reviving "freedom dues" at the end of their term by giving them land.

Based on what I have so far I would assume there were Black Indentured Servants, but she needs primary sources for me to prove her wrong. So far I only have a book and some websites (.edu), BUT she wants primary sources.

Maybe what she was trying to get at was that Black Indentured Servitude was extremely rare so it is not even worth to mention it?

My question is: were there actually Black Indentured Servants in 17th century Virginia and if there was, were there any primary source which proves that?

Thank you for your time.