WILMINGTON -- The 1898 Wilmington race riots are a touchy subject for some. But a handful of UNCW film students are tackling the issue head on.
Filming started this week on a movie called "The Red Cape," which follows the events of the 1898 Race Riots.
Rather than trying to send a message to viewers the producer says the crew is really just trying to raise awareness of what happened.
More than 100 years ago a mob burned the building housing the Daily Record newspaper. Now the moment is being relived on camera, but not without some controversy.
Producer Brendon Murphy said, "The surrounding community here has been really supportive of what we're doing, which is really good. There have been some people would rather we had just left the subject alone."
Murphy says the sole purpose of the film is to educate people about the race riots -- a dark time in local history, in which 22 African Americans were killed.
He said, "I feel like it's something that should be in history books, and it's just basically telling people that this happened."
Some actors taking part in the film say they hope that message gets across.
Actor Larry Jefferson Jr. said, "It's a great attribute and it's bringing back the realism of what we went through."
Film crews will be shooting around downtown Wilmington until April then the editing process will begin.
The film should be completely finished by November and the producer says some local museums have already agreed to show the film on a regular basis.
As usual, UNCW once again just gets it wrong.
So the goal of these UNCW film students is to educate people about race riots. Cool. I'm waiting for filming to begin about the race riots caused by the Wilmington 10 and the black community in Wilmington in the early 70's. If you TRULY want to educate about something, you need to examine it from ALL angles, not just one special interest side. I'll give you an example: Study the Holocaust, but can you really understand it without also examining Hitler and his motives and methods? The answer is no.
I'm not holding my breath on this one. The powers that be at UNCW can't see clarity on ANY issue because they are millions of miles to the radical left of center.
1898 Race Riot
A very interesting project by the students, I encourage them to reserach this tragic event thoroughly and maintain a historical objectivity to better understand it. A fine resource I have found is www.1898wilmington.com
the revisionist website, racist fantasy
the website named in the posting of a website that DARES to use the date 1898 and espouses Historical facts is a revisionist horror that is inaccurate and because it tries to disavow the only coup in American History...it is in every respect racist and a disturbing "opinon", baseless, and not fact AT ALL. If one wishes to learn about 1898, then one can read the 1898 Commission report http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/1898-wrrc/report/report.htm
To continue to try and push the facutally false and misleading writings listed by the other website is to keep our community divided and our history buried in ignorance.
Keep Me Posted
I think it's a good idea to educate the public about what happened back in the 1800's in Wilmington, NC. I would like to suggest a good book to read also, Cape Fear Rising it talks about the city of Wilmington, NC during the 1800's. I'll be on the look out for the movie it should be alot easier to follow than the book.
riots
Here we go again...do something to make this generation think they are owed for something that happened when none of us were even a twinkle in our mamas eye. REPARATIONS! GIMME GIMME!
Sorry! You must have
Sorry! You must have misunderstood the article I didn't read anything about asking for money or pay back for something that happened back in the 1800's. Did you? And to be perfectly honest I am a strong black woman. I work full time Monday - Friday and I'm a single parent to my 2 boys. I don't ask for a hand out from anybody, DSS, mom, dad boyfriend, baby daddy etc. This is 2008 so do go around thinking everybody is out for a hand out. I work for my money just like you do!
race riots?
there is very little proof and accuracy of the race riots. did they occur, yes. but to what extent we will never know. you can thank thomas wright for stirring this up. for a start i think we should get reparations from him, because we have proof on what he has done
Are you kidding?? I mean
Are you kidding?? I mean really, YOU go do a little research. There's a reason this town is split right in half when it comes to race relations. Just ask a black man who's been in this town for more than 50 years what it was like growing up. How they had to avoid beer bottles being thrown at their heads just for walking down Carolina Beach Road. Just look at Sea Breeze compared to Carolina Beach. One side ALL WHITE and Rich, One side ALL BLACK and Poor. Wilmington was one of the first cities in America where a free'd black man could make a decent living before the riots. Not only make a decent living and home, but actually prosper. Afterwards, it became one of the most segregated and racist area's in the entire country. Just ask those who's parents were here then, they will tell you about the riots.
Emotion Versus Fact
For something that happened so long ago and outside the living memory of us today, it sure can elicit emotional responses.
I received an unexpected reply to my email merely suggesting a website I fell upon for information about the event as I found it useful. Why did the writer have to denounce the www.1898wilmington.com site and promote his or her own? I will look at both and not think that each is the whole truth, but I want a diversity of opinion on the issue to formulate my own view. When someone denounces something so virulently, I suspect there is something they do not want me to see on the website they seem to hate.
It appears that there was no "race riot" until some black people opened fire on white people at 4th and Harnett Streets. Who can defend those who started it?
Race Riot in Wilmington NC 1898
Why do some White Americas pretend they never did any racists activity when we all know by history it occured over and over again. I wish many of the Americans would stop pretending and accept the racist stains that will never be erased from our American History. And for the record some of the relatives of these Black People would were ran off... are living, and would have inherited much of what was taken from their relatives in 1898. It's a shame before God what was done to those people.
It isn't pretending, Fool.
"Why do some White Americans pretend they never did any racists activity when we all know by history it occured over and over again?"
It isn't pretending, Fool. I wasn't alive during the period of 1861 - 1865, nor was I alive in 1898. Yes, some horrible things were done - on both sides - but not by me.
Why do some black Americans insist on government handouts and reparations for things that they NEVER experienced first-hand?
"And for the record some of the relatives of these Black People would were ran off... are living, and would have inherited much of what was taken from their relatives in 1898."
Hmmm...by your logic, blacks should be suing other blacks on the African continent because black ancestors collaborated with those in the slave trade. And you know what? They still do, because to this day, slavery persists throughout Africa.
"I wish many of the Americans would stop pretending and accept the racist stains that will never be erased from our American History."
Okay...if we need to accept racial stains, it is my duty and your obligation to also remember that whites aren't the only guilty ones. Blacks are guilty too.... Think, "Wilmington 10." Think, Black Panthers and Nation of Islam, whose stated goal is the annihilation of whites.
"It's a shame before God" that evil idiots like Farrakhan can openly preach evil and be praised for their hate and calls for an end to the white race.