Racial Injustice
The Wilmington Coup and Massacre
November 10, 1898, marked a dark day in American history when a white supremacist mob seized power in Wilmington, North Carolina, overthrowing the legitimately elected biracial government. This event, known as the Wilmington Coup and Massacre, stands as a stark reminder of the racial injustice and violence that plagued the post-Reconstruction South.
In the years following the Civil War, African Americans in Wilmington had made significant strides in political and economic life. This progress, however, threatened white supremacists who sought to maintain their control. Through a campaign of intimidation, propaganda, and violence, they stoked racial tensions and incited fear among white citizens.
On November 10th, the carefully orchestrated plan unfolded. Armed white mobs stormed through the streets, attacking Black businesses and homes. They forced city officials to resign at gunpoint and installed their own leaders. The violence escalated into a massacre, with an estimated 60 to 300 African Americans losing their lives.
The Wilmington Coup was not just about seizing political power; it was a deliberate attempt to strip Black citizens of their hard-won rights and to reassert white supremacy. The event had long-lasting consequences, ushering in an era of Jim Crow segregation and disenfranchisement that would last for decades.
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The Wilmington Coup and Massacre serves as a chilling example of how racial hatred and violence can undermine democracy and erode the fundamental rights of citizens. It is a reminder of the importance of vigilance in protecting those rights and of the ongoing struggle for racial justice.