Slaves could not
In the North American colonies, and the United States, slaves were never allowed to marry. “Couples were often allowed to live together, and might well fulfil all the responsibilities and have some privileges of matrimony until death, but they were never legally married, nor so regarded by any white institution,” reports The New York Times. They could be separated at any time by their owners. The U.S History said not recognizing marriage between two enslaved blacks made it easier to justify the breakup of families by selling one of its members to another owner.
