Slavery in the US commenced when the first African slaves were taken to the United States colony of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619 to assist in the development of such profitable crops such as tobacco, sugar, rice and indigo. Although the Union triumph freed the country’s 4 million black slaves, the legacy of slavery sustains to impact America’s future from the many years of Reconstruction (1865-77) to the 1960’s civil right movement that took place one hundred years after the emancipation proclamation. In the 17th century African slaves was considered cheaper, and a more abundant labor source than the poorer Europeans. Following the American Revolution (1775-83) many colonists especially in the north where slavery was relatively obsolete to
