By The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
​The events of November 10, 1898, in Wilmington, North Carolina, represent a singular and violent chapter in the history of American democracy. This day marked a deliberate and organized effort by a large group of white supremacists to seize power from the legitimately elected local government.
​Overthrow of the Elected Government
​The local administration in Wilmington was notable for being a biracial fusion government, formed through a coalition that included both Black and white elected officials. This democratic structure was violently targeted. An organized mob, estimated to be around 2,000 white men, successfully overthrew this established government by force.
​This action was more than civil unrest; it was a coup d’état an unprecedented and successful attempt in U.S. history by a non-state actor to illegally and violently take control of a municipal administration.
​Violence and Community Devastation
​The political takeover was accompanied by horrific violence against the Black community. The aggressors murdered an unknown number of Black citizens, with estimates ranging up to 60 fatalities. As part of the systemic assault, the mob also destroyed a vital community institution by burning down the office of the Black-owned newspaper.
​Furthermore, prominent Black leaders and many white allies were systematically hunted down and forced to flee the city, effectively being exiled. The immediate consequence was the complete destruction of Black political and economic power in Wilmington.
​Legacy and Historical Truth
​The illegal seizure of power resulted in the violent dismantling of democracy and the establishment of white-supremacist control that endured for generations. For the Black community in Wilmington and across the region, the effects were profoundly felt for decades. While historical records and narratives have sometimes overlooked the truth of what transpired, the event itself the only successful governmental overthrow of its kind in the United States remains an undeniable and important lesson in the fragility of democracy.
