What's Real, What's Fake? Fake News, Racial Politics, and False Narratives in La mort du colonel Mauduit

Abstract: Drawing on politically motivated narratives surrounding the 1790 assassination of Colonel Mauduit in Port-au Prince, which culminated in a theatrical interpretation of the event, this article explores how complex racial politics intertwined with enlightenment and revolutionary rhetoric in revolutionary Saint-Domingue. By untangling the layers of 'fake news' that circulated around this elusiveness historical event alongside the one-act play, this article examines the power of rumor and racially charged narratives shaped events on the cusp of the Haitian Revolution.