The historian James Oakes in 1982 stated that "he evidence is overwhelming that the vast majority of black slaveholders were free men who purchased members of their families or who acted out of benevolence".
” 历史学家詹姆斯·奥克斯（英语：James Oakes）在1982年写道：“有证据表明，绝大多数非裔奴隶主是自由黑人，他们将自己的家人买过来，或是出于慈悲所为。