1792-Jun.: Officials in Kingston observed a disturbing “air of insolence” among the city’s black population following the arrival of a premature report.

1792-Jun.: Officials in Kingston observed a disturbing “air of insolence” among the city’s black population following the arrival of a premature report. The news falsely claimed that the British Parliament had voted to immediately abolish the slave trade. This surge in defiance illustrated the speed at which political intelligence circulated through the Caribbean’s urban centers. Authorities worried that such reports would elevate the expectations of the enslaved and lead to a total breakdown of social order. This moment of tension occurred as the neighboring revolution in Saint-Domingue continued to radicalize the region.