the impact that it had on ideas of freedom and equality that pervaded the city. To begin and to place this early migratory flow in a historical context, a brief overview of the Haitian Revolution will be presented. Next, to illustrate the almost national impact of early Haitian migration to the United States, and as a contrast to Philadelphia, other American cities that were ports of destination for Haitians during this period will be explored. This paper will then focus on Philadelphia and its appeal to refugees trying to escape the Revolution. It will provide a detailed description of the migrants who arrived to the city, examining the political, legal, and moral challenges that ensued because of their presence. The paper will also consider the reception by nativePhiladelphians to these new arrivals and conclude by discussing the lasting impact these black refugees had on the nation, the city, and particularly African Americans.

The Haitian Revolution: The Impetus for Migration

The driving force behind the historical exodus to Philadelphia is what historians would eventually distinguish as the "Haitian Revolution" (Madiou 1848; Ott 1973). The Haitian Revolution, perhaps the most thorough case of revolutionary change anywhere in the history of the modern world, created a stream of refugees to the United States that contributed to American and African American culture (Hunt 1988). Indeed, the events that occurred on the western third of the island of Hispaniola from 1791 to 1804 would reverberate around the world and challenge the established institution of chattel slavery and notions of freedom and equality