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Picture of Black man walking, carrying a sack attached to a stick over his shoulder. In the back, a tree blows in the wind.
Illustration of John Punch who was given a life sentence for running away.

John Punch, an enslaved African, escapes with two white indentured servants.

1640

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Illustration of John Punch who was given a life sentence for running away.

All are captured. The two white indentured servants have their terms increased by four years each, while John Punch is forced to serve for the rest of his life. The case becomes a key moment in the creation of racial hierarchies in the colonies.