Cape Fear Museum screens The Red Cape for Black History Month

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It’s the first weekend in Black History Month, and the Cape Fear Museum invited community members to watch a film based on a historic and what some have called the worst moment in the city’s history on Sunday.

The free event showed the film “The Red Cape”, it is a dramatic depiction of the 1898 massacre that took place in Wilmington.

Before watching the 40-minute-long film, the Cape Fear Museum’s historian Jan Davidson gave a brief introduction of moments in history that left up to the 1898 massacre, to provide historical context to the movie. Davidson was glad there was a large turnout at the event.

“We have fun stuff, but we also grapple with the heavy issues that have affected our community, such as slavery, racism, 1898, segregation. Hopefully in a way that fosters debate, conversation, and a better understanding of maybe how we can move forward,” said Dr. Jan Davidson, Cape Fear Museum’s historian.

The Cape Fear Museum is partnering with New Hanover County’s Office of Diversity & Equity, UNCW, and New Hanover County Schools for a series of panel discussions that will focus on the intersection of race, social justice, and education during Black History Month.