I m not an expert on free blacks in 18th century Louisiana but I do know that under Spanish rule which began in the 1760s slaves were given the right to own property under the law of coartacion Slaves were allowed to get a fair price for the property they sold They could use their free time to sell produce in the markets or hire themselves out as laborers nurses craftsmen or artisans As a result slaves under Spanish rule could purchase their own freedom and could petition the courts for freedom Therefore the if the legal status of an individual could change then a slave could become a freeman and could then become a slave owner This was common According to an article appearing in the Encyclopedia of Louisiana by the end of the Spanish period 1803 there were 1 490 free blacks in New Orleans alone that had purchased their own freedom So I don t question the statement that there were free blacks trading in the Avoyelles area in the 18th century I don t know who wrote this and I don t know what evidence he has but I don t know anything to make me doubt it What evidence do you have