William Tucker (Virginia colony)

William Tucker was an early African American born free in the Virginia colony, likely around 1624. He holds the distinction of being the first person of African descent documented as born free in English colonial America. His parents were Anthony and Isabella, Angolans who were among the first Africans brought to Jamestown in 1619. They arrived likely as indentured servants rather than slaves, at least initially. The status of their child William as free suggests that the legal framework for lifelong hereditary slavery was not yet fully established at the time of his birth.

The circumstances surrounding William Tucker's life after his birth are poorly documented. Unlike some other early African colonists whose names appear in legal records (e.g., land patents, wills), William Tucker remains largely absent from historical sources beyond his birth. This lack of information makes it difficult to ascertain his later status, occupation, or family life. The paucity of records related to free people of color in the 17th century makes it challenging to trace his trajectory in a society that was steadily codifying racial hierarchies and the institution of chattel slavery.