New UNCW sculpture illustrates Wilmington’s past… and present

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new and important piece of public art was unveiled at UNCW Friday, to commemorate the 1898 coup and Black Lives Matter.

“The last couple of days, I’ve been saying this is a whole baby. It’s been nine months. I hope that we’ve given birth to something special here,” said artist, Dare Coulter.

Coulter and UNCW unveiled the new sculpture called “Because it’s Time,” designed to shine a light on the 1898 Wilmington coup and massacre, a piece of history long hidden.

“The idea that people lived here and grew up here and didn’t know about it, that’s absolutely wild to me,” Coulter said. “I’ve been in school here since the sixth grade, and it wasn’t part of my curriculum but it wasn’t a part of the curriculum on purpose.”

That’s why Coulter’s sculpture features a plaque with more information on the 1898 Wilmington massacre.

“The concept that knowledge is one of the most important tools people can have,” said Coulter. “You know, knowledge was something that was historically held from black people because of the understanding of how important it was.”

According to Arts Engagement Director, Phidias Reyes, it will shine a light on Wilmington’s past and present by integrating images of Black Lives matter, encouraging change at UNCW.

“The tone and the direction of the campus is changing,” Reyes explained. “And I think that this is the support we are getting, people want to see this. People want to get involved.”

“It’s not something that happens just on accident,” Coulter continued. “I think change happens on purpose. So being able to tell those stories is important.”