1764: The newly founded Gazette de Saint Domingue printed its earliest runaway notices, revealing that enslaved people in the northern parishes preferred see…

1764: The newly founded Gazette de Saint Domingue printed its earliest runaway notices, revealing that enslaved people in the northern parishes preferred seeking refuge in Cap Français. Rather than fleeing to the mountains or the Spanish border, fugitives sensed a greater prospect of success within the urban environment and its environs. This trend underscores the role of the colonial capital as a primary magnet for those seeking personal independence. Urban centers offered unique opportunities for evasion that the more visible frontier spaces lacked.