From the 1600's up until the 1800's you can say slaves had do rights especially as far as being treated equal to white people. The 1800s was a period of abolitionist and this kind of inspired the freedom of equal rights blacks would began to experience up until the ending of slavery in 1865. You can research the laws that was passe around this that tried to futher the rights of African American slaves. Even after slavery ended African Americans didnt gain much equality advantage until the 20 century, which then had Jim Crow Laws which inspired segregation.