Wilmington holds wreath-laying ceremony honoring victims of 1898 Massacre

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — More than 125 years after the 1898 Wilmington Massacre, community members, local officials and descendants of those affected gathered Tuesday at the 1898 Memorial in downtown Wilmington to honor the victims and reflect on the importance of preserving the city’s history.

The wreath-laying ceremony marked the anniversary of Nov. 10, 1898, when white supremacists violently overthrew Wilmington’s multiracial city government, attacked Black residents and businesses, and drove thousands of Black residents from their homes.

For Lashonda Teague, the anniversary holds deep personal meaning. A member of the city’s Commission on African American History, Teague is a fourth-generation descendant of the Halsey family. Her ancestor, Joshua Halsey, was among those killed during the massacre.

“It means a lot to me and my family,” said Teague.

She said preserving the history of 1898 is especially important because families have passed down their accounts privately for generations.

“I was a 7th grader at Trask Middle School, and I was told my story was a lie by my teacher, of course, who wasn’t from here, so she didn’t know much about 1898 because back then, it stayed ‘What was told in the house, stayed in the house,’ that’s how my grandaddy used to say it,” said Teague.

Evelyn Adger, chair of the Wilmington Commission on African American History, said the ceremony represented more than an opportunity to remember a historical event. It also provided an opportunity to acknowledge the pain and lasting impact of what happened.

“We are gathered to remember lives; we are gathered to acknowledge pain; we are gathered to confront truth, and we are gathered to honor a history that far too long was denied the recognition it deserved,” said Adger.

Wilmington Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Spears said that despite growing up in the city, he was not taught about the massacre in school.

He emphasized the importance of making sure younger generations understand what happened in their community.

“When we inform the youth, our students, about what took place- the only successful coup in American history- it helps us to prevent it from happening again,” said Spears.

Teague said she continues to share her family’s story to ensure the history is accurately told and passed down to future generations.

“Because of my family’s history, because I want it to be told and told correctly, and so now there’s a 7th grader out there who can tell this story and not get reprimanded for telling, you know, what was told to them behind closed doors,” said Teague.

For decades, the events of 1898 were omitted or misrepresented in historical accounts. Following years of advocacy, North Carolina officially recognized the events as a coup in 2006. In 2021, the state designated Nov. 10 as 1898 Massacre and Coup d’État Day.

The annual observance serves as an opportunity to remember those killed and displaced while continuing efforts to ensure the history of the massacre is acknowledged and taught to future generations.