Final answer:
Anthony Johnson was a black man who became a planter and slave owner, exemplifying the fluidity of social and race relations in early Virginia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The historical role and significance of Anthony Johnson can be best described as being a black man who became a planter and slave owner. Johnson was once an indentured servant, but after gaining his freedom, he acquired his own land, servants, and even slaves. His story exemplifies the fluidity of social and race relations in Virginia during the early decades, before laws restricting black freedom and defining black people as slaves were passed.