Also known as: November 21 affair, Port-au-Prince affair of November 21
Last updated: April 26, 2026
The affair of November 21, 1791 was the Port-au-Prince street battle that shattered the October concordat settlement between whites and the gens de couleur. White militants and municipal authorities allowed a conflict to escalate following the seizure and hanging of Scapin, a free Black drummer; Alexandre Pétion responded with artillery captured earlier in the West Province struggle. The affair turned a negotiated equality back into urban warfare and led directly into the burning of Port-au-Prince.
The fourth section of Port-au-Prince, dominated by petit blancs and Praloto's gang, proposed delaying the October 25 treaty that would have extended political rights to free people of color — triggering the rupture.
The November 21 affair directly triggered the burning of Port-au-Prince
The Ogé revolt's aftermath created the political crisis that the concordats tried and failed to resolve
The affair took place in the streets of Port-au-Prince
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"Affair of November 21, 1791." 1791. Rasin.ai, 2026. https://rasin.ai/connections/events/affair-of-november-21-1791. Accessed 2026-05-05.