1791-Fall: Spanish officials in New Orleans arrested and tried Pedro Bailly, a free colored militiaman, for publicly identifying with the revolutionaries in …

1791-Fall: Spanish officials in New Orleans arrested and tried Pedro Bailly, a free colored militiaman, for publicly identifying with the revolutionaries in Saint-Domingue. Bailly was an outspoken opponent of the racial caste system and was accused of encouraging others to follow the example of the insurgents in the Cap. Testimony from his fellow militiamen highlighted his efforts to raise the issue of racial equality with white officers. His arrest reflected the colonial state’s deep anxiety regarding the influence of the “black republicans” on the local free nonwhite population. Bailly’s defiance proved that the aspirations for liberty and dignity were not confined to the islands but had found a voice on the mainland.