1782-Dec.: The hurried British evacuation of Charleston resulted in the departure of over 5,000 blacks, both free and enslaved, aboard naval vessels.

1782-Dec.: The hurried British evacuation of Charleston resulted in the departure of over 5,000 blacks, both free and enslaved, aboard naval vessels. More than half of these individuals were transported to Jamaica, significantly altering the demographic landscape of the island. This massive influx of refugees from the North American mainland foreshadowed the later exodus from Saint-Domingue during its own revolution. While some arrivals were opulent and industrious, many others were extremely indigent and required support from local parish funds. The presence of these highly visible black loyalists introduced new currents of Afro-North American thought to the Caribbean region.