Most African/Americans enslaved in North Carolina mainly derived from sister colonies like Virginia and South Carolina overland travel. Those that traveled by way of the sea came primarily from Northern colonies and Southern colonies, West Indies, and some came directly from Africa. Thus, there was slavery in North Carolina before there was a slave law, which was created in 1715. 

As settlers left Virginia and settled into the Albemarle region of North Carolina, they brought their slaves. Moreover, it must be kept in mind that many of the early servants in North Carolina were not merely Africans/Americans but also Native Americans. 

As the demand for slaves increased in the mid-1700s, more slaves were brought into North Carolina through the seaborne slave trade. As more Native Americans became slaves, following a series of wars in North Carolina, many Native Americans were sold into Northern states and the West indies. 

British colonists increased demand for slaves derived from the desire to cultivate tobacco along the north border and cultivate rice in the low lands. 

The earliest import record was a “negro woman” who came from Virginia through the port of Roanoke on June 6, 1702. However, the bulk of the enslaved imported by way of the sea came from other colonies, with the majority coming from South Carolina. North Carolina’s inability to gain the trades lines that would provide more slaves directly from Africa was a consistent complaint of North Carolina leaders. They were often upset that the people of North Carolina had to purchase slaves from Virginia at hire price and often received enslaved persons that were the most non-compliant. 

Speaking of the problems of buying slaves and complaining of the enslaved behavior of the enslaved people purchased in Virginia, Governor Burrington noted, “those who take such pains to carry Provisions to Virginia at the Charge of a great Land Carriage, do it Chiefly to lodge Money there to purchase Slaves, which are difficult to be bought any other way.” The slaves thus obtained were by no means satisfactory. “Great is the loss this Country has sustained in not being supply’d by vessells from Guinea with Negroes; in any part of the Province the People are able to pay for a ships load; but as none can come directly from Affrica, we are under a necessity to buy the refuse refractory and distemper’d Negroes.”

Nevertheless, North Carolina was able to acquire enslaved people directly from Africa, a few compared to other places, but it is worth noting. For instance, 258 Africans were imported in 1759 from the Windward Coast of Africa, now called the Ivory Coast. 

The West Indies did provide North Carolina with several enslaved persons. Over 750 enslaved people were imported into North Carolina from Jamaica. 

Most of the enslaved people imported by ship came through the port of Brunswick below the city of Wilmington. The port of Brunswick was destroyed during the American Revolution, and the port of Wilmington was built in its place.

The exact amount of enslaved people imported into North Carolina by way of the sea is not known. Poor and inconsistent record-keeping prevents researchers from gaining an accurate account of slaves imported before and after the ban of the slave trade in 1808. Enslaved people were imported into the United States illegally after the ban. Slaveholders continued to import slaves into North Carolina, which is known to be a fact until 1816, 9 years after the ban on the slave trade.

North Carolina did pass laws to punish those participating in the illegal slave trade. If caught, “Act, North Carolina required that "each and every negro, mulatto, or person of colour, imported into this state from any foreign port or place, for a slave, or to be held to service of labor" be "sold and disposed of for the use of the State" 

Illegal Slave Trade Report

Suppression of the Slave Trade, W.E.B. Dubois

Men and Women Born Born in America

A few examples are presented below: 

1. The Carolina (Sloop Lucy) vs Slave Sampson, 1814: A slave named Sergeant Sampson was taken aboard the private armed schooner Carolina from the British sloop Lucy. 
2.  U.S. vs 2 Boats and Slaves, 1814:The case involves 7 slaves, whose names and combined values are given. They were aboard the private armed schooner Mary. 
3. U.S. vs St. Jose el Dilegente, 1817: 5 slaves were brought to Elizabeth City from the island of Old Providence. Samuel Sifson owned them. The case contains several depositions. 
4. U.S. vs Schooner Commerce, 1810: 3 slaves were brought to the port of Camden aboard the ship Commerce from the West Indies.  

If more were imported after 1817, it was hidden, not caught, or not recorded as before. It is essential to keep in mind that no one record is perfect.

Regarding the seaborne slave trade, not only are the records of how many enslaved people entered the state by way of sea less than accurate but it must be kept in mind that North Carolina temporarily banned or restricted slave imports several times during the colonial period. Although these restrictions were not executed perfectly, these laws stifled some importation, as did the American Revolutionary War.

After the revolution, there was an increased desire to import slaves. As a result, most enslaved persons docked in Wilmington and the parts of Beaufort and Roanoke.

The desire for more slaves stemmed from the desire to build canals, cultivate tobacco and rice. For instance, 80 to 100 Africans were imported by the Lake Company to build a canal connecting Lake Phelps to the Scuppernong river-off the Albemarle sound. As a result, this company was able to import at least 150 Africans. 

 The Lake Company - North Carolina History Project

The irony of the slave trade by sea, along the coast of America and the West Indies, was that some of the vessels were made by slave labor or by the products gained from slave labor.

Enslaved persons coming forced migrating to North Carolina way of a vessel often came with mixed cargo, meaning these were not slave ships. Instead, imported slaves were often a private focus or payment for naval stores "that formed a market in the mainland colonies and the west indies.” Thus, the number of enslaved people coming by ship was not substantial and contributed little to the increase of the black population in North Carolina. Nonetheless, this history is worth knowing and provides a greater understanding of the development of slavery in North Carolina.