the first 19 or so africans to reach the english colonies arrived in jamestown, virginia, in 1619. they were brought by english privateers who had seized them from a captured portuguese slave ship. slaves were usually baptized in africa before sending them. as english custom then considered baptized christians exempt from slavery, colonists treated these africans as indentured servants. the african indentured servants joined about 1,000 english indentured servants already in the colony. the africans were freed after a period of time. they were also given the use of land and supplies by their former masters.