1794-May-18: In the wake of the French National Convention’s decree of general abolition, reports from Havana noted the spread of “subversive” republican ide…

1794-May-18: In the wake of the French National Convention’s decree of general abolition, reports from Havana noted the spread of “subversive” republican ideas among the city’s black population. Julius S. Scott highlights the case of a “free Negro” named Delrrival, who was suspected of having connections to French revolutionary agents. The Spanish authorities in Cuba were deeply alarmed by the potential for these egalitarian ideas to destabilize their own plantation society. This concern led to increased surveillance of the “masterless” residents of Havana and the restriction of travel for free people of color. The entry reflects the “politics of fear” that dominated colonial administration during this volatile era.