When Democracy Died: The Hidden BLACK History of Wilmington 1898

When Democracy Died: The Hidden History of Wilmington 1898
In 1898, Wilmington, North Carolina, was home to a thriving African American community—business owners, elected officials, and journalists who were shaping their own future. But their success posed a threat to the white supremacist power structure. What followed was not a riot, but a violent coup d’état, one of the only successful government overthrows in U.S. history.
As @weekofhistory recognizes Black History Month, let's dive into this:
On November 10, 1898, white supremacists launched a coordinated attack—burning Black-owned businesses, murdering Black citizens, and forcing Black leaders to flee at gunpoint. The Wilmington Massacre of 1898 erased Black political power from the city and reshaped its future for generations. Yet, for over a century, this story was buried, misrepresented, and left out of mainstream history.