1898 Race Riot monument nearing completion

Members of the 1898 Race Riot Foundation met today at the site of the new monument commemorating the riots.

After nearly 10 years of planning, foundation members and an artist from Georgia are just a few hours away from erecting this memorial.

The monument memorializes what’s known as the ‘Dark Days’ in Wilmington. It was a time when local black leaders were killed, or forced out of the city.

The state just recently completed it’s official investigation of the 1898 race riots.

Now, Wilmington civic leaders want visitors and residents to see how far the city has come since then.

1898 foundation co-chair Lethia Hankins said, “To let all of our visitors know that we are an inclusive city, we are an open city, our motto is moving forward together. This monument is proof of what moving forward together can really do.”

The 16 foot bronze monument will be pieced together by the artist himself tomorrow morning on site at the intersections of North Front Street and North Third Street – across from the PPD building.

The area surrounding the site will be blocked off, so keep that in mind if you are traveling through that part of town.