New book revisits Wilmington's 1898 coup and massacre, highlights lasting impact on community

New book revisits Wilmington’s 1898 coup and massacre, highlights lasting impact on community

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — More than 125 years after the 1898 Wilmington coup and massacre, a new book is bringing renewed attention to one of the darkest chapters in North Carolina history and the lasting impact it continues to have on the community.

Wilmington native Lauren Collins explores the events and their legacy in her new book, They Stole a City, which she recently discussed on CBS Sunday Morning.

The 1898 coup remains the only successful coup d’état in U.S. history. White supremacists overthrew Wilmington’s elected biracial government, forcing Black leaders from office and killing an unknown number of Black residents.

Jonathan Barfield Jr., whose father Joe Barfield Sr. became the first Black New Hanover County commissioner elected since the 1898 coup, said he grew up hearing about the milestone but not the history behind it.

“It’s something that was never taught. Having grown up here, I never heard anything about a 1898 coup de tat.”

Barfield said his father often reminded him he was the first Black commissioner since Reconstruction but never fully explained why.

“He would remind me that he was the first one since reconstruction which was 1898 but never elaborated, I don’t think my father knew as well.”

Leron Montgomery, president of the New Hanover County NAACP, said understanding the events of 1898 is essential for future generations.

“Our children need to know what took place in the city that they call home.”

WWAY asked New Hanover County Schools whether the Wilmington coup is included in the curriculum. A district spokesperson said the 1898 events are taught in fourth- and eighth-grade social studies classes, as well as in high school American history courses.

“New Hanover County Schools includes instruction on the history of the 1898 Wilmington Coup and Massacre through its curriculum and local educational partnerships.

Since the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction updated the statewide Social Studies Standards for the 2021–2022 school year, the events of 1898 have been included in the required fourth-grade social studies curriculum. In NHCS, students also study this topic in eighth-grade social studies.

At the high school level, the district’s standard and honors American History courses include instruction on the 1898 Wilmington Coup and Massacre. For Advanced Placement U.S. History, course content is established by the College Board, where 1898 is identified as an optional source.

In addition to classroom instruction, NHCS offers several local learning opportunities. Third-grade students participate in the Wilmington Historical Foundation’s Tar Heels Go Walking program, which includes the history of 1898. Fourth-grade students are offered the People of the Cape Fear field trip through the Cape Fear Museum, which includes the museum’s exhibit on the 1898 Wilmington Coup and Massacre. The Cape Fear Museum also offers a field trip centered on the 1898 exhibit for eighth-grade and high school students.

These classroom and experiential learning opportunities provide students with multiple opportunities to learn about this significant event in Wilmington’s history.”

Before the coup, more than half of Wilmington’s population was African American. Today, that number is about 15%.

Barfield said he hopes to see greater diversity in local government and believes remembering the city’s history is an important part of ensuring all voices are represented.

“And that’s important for the African American community to recognize what was lost and to have a sense of unity and solidarity and finding ways to make sure all voices are completely erased as this story was erased for so many years.”

Collins will host a book signing in Wilmington on Friday. Click here to learn more.

New book revisits Wilmington’s 1898 coup and massacre, highlights lasting impact on community

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