Black History Month: The Truth about the Massacre of 1898

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington Coup/Massacre of 1898 was a bloody, tragic event that ended with the overthrow of a legally-elected government. The city experienced extensive property damage and the wounding and deaths of countless African-American citizens and some whites at the hands of a mob of white men. It’s important because it is the only example of a coup d ‘etat in American history.

It is also important because it ushered in the era of the white supremacy movement in the 20th century and beyond. In addition, it happened during the time of the US Supreme Court decision “Plessy v. Ferguson” (“separate but equal’) (which led to American apartheid, legal segregation aka “Jim Crow”) and it has international implications because it occurred around the time of what is called by historians—the “Partition of Africa”—when the European countries carved up and colonized Africa.

After it was over, Wilmington was called “the capital of the white supremacy movement” because it became the model or a perfect example of how to show that the white man is supreme or superior to people who don’t look him, whom he considered inferior.

Amanda Fitzpatrick sat down with writer and radio announcer Larry Reni Thomas to talk about the history and impact of the The Wilmington Coup/Massacre of 1898.

To learn more you can watch the full interview above.