1791-Dec.: Two black North Americans arrived at the Kingston workhouse in Jamaica through distinct maritime routes, highlighting the diversity of the immigra…

1791-Dec.: Two black North Americans arrived at the Kingston workhouse in Jamaica through distinct maritime routes, highlighting the diversity of the immigrant population. Solomon Dick was arrested under vagrancy laws while claiming his status as a free person, whereas a man named Daniel was identified as a runaway. Daniel had escaped three years earlier from a French enslaver near Fort Dauphin in Saint-Domingue before reaching British territory. His case exemplified the many English-speaking enslaved people who utilized the porous borders between French and British colonies to seek freedom. These workhouse records provide a granular look at the individual struggles of those navigating the “masterless” spaces of the Caribbean.