So by 1789 there were 24,800 free people of color, along with about 30,000 white people in the colony. The free people of color contributed a lot to the island's stability. They served in the militia and in the local constabulary, and many of the wealthier ones eventually owned plantations and slaves of their own. And then below them on the social ladder were the poor whites, or the petite Blancs, who worked as artisans and laborers. And at the bottom were the slaves, who made up the overwhelming majority. I know what you're thinking. This is a recipe for permanent social stability.