The only coup d'tat ever to take place on American soil

[Sunriser13]

It's strange to me that there are so many that had never heard of the Tulsa Massacre, which leads me to believe that even fewer people, even North Carolinians, have knowledge of the Wilmington Massacre of 1898. It was an organized effort to erase a majority Black city, one of the most successful in the South.

This history was again brought to mind for me as some of the monuments in downtown Raleigh were targeted and toppled by protestors, who even hung one in effigy from a lamp post after dragging it down the main street of the city. Governor Cooper had been trying to have these Confederate monuments moved from the Capitol grounds for years, but was denied by our Republican legislature actually passing a law preventing it. He is defying them and the law in having the rest removed, ostensibly citing public safety as the reason. (Don’t point at the governor for NC monuments falling. Republicans are to blame.) Republicans are having conniption fits about it, of course, but I'm proud of my Governor.

One monument in particular, a 75 foot high behemoth that stood on the west side of the grounds, has a connection to the supremacists involved in the Wilmington Massacre, as does a statue of Josephus Daniels, the founder of our local newspaper, which the family voluntarily removed this week from the public park across the street from the current building. Daniels has an extremely interesting story as well, seeming to redeem himself in some ways in later years, but I believe he always remained a racist SOB, no matter his attempts at good.

I found some good links to information about Wilmington that I believe folks here will find to be fascinating history of an abomination that has been whitewashed, even to the debate about what to call it. Some prefer to simply call it "race riots", which was certainly not the case; few are willing to call it what it was, an organized coup to get rid of a successful and vibrant elected Black government.

The Lost History of an American Coup D’État

Revising the Revisionists

This last link leads to a book review of WILMINGTON’S LIE:
The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy by David Zucchino:

When White Supremacists Overthrew an Elected Government

My heart still breaks at what white supremacists have done, and continue to do, to wonderful advances only to be snuffed out by hatred and prejudice.

Thank you for your indulgence - I just had to get this out to some people who care... and have probably never heard of this...

[TreasonousBastard]

1. I knew abut Tulsa, but not about Wilmington. Perhaps Wilmington got lost in all...

the horrific relics of Reconstruction.

Perhaps the time is now come for us to finally reject the effects of slavery and the resulting apartheid. If not right now, our children and grandchildren are growing up in an atmosphere of acceptance.

There will come a time, perhaps within our lifetimes, when race becomes meaningless. I see it in many of our youth who pick their friends without thought of skin color.

[magicarpet]

2. Thank you for sharing the information with us here,...

Some history is white washed because that is the way supremacists prefer it. It takes knowledge and education to understand proper historical perspectives that help shatter racism.

Again thank you for the information that helps set the record straight.

[niyad]

3. Thank you so much for sharing this incredibly important information with us.

[Sunriser13]

4. Thank y'all for reading...

I know the articles are very long, involved reading, yet they still only touch the surface. Organized supremacists burned Black newspapers all over the state as part of this coup as well, and attempts to erase the truth exist to this day.

Another good book about this is a historical novel, Cape Fear Rising by Philip Gerard. While being a novel, the book remains faithful to actual events, not the version put forth by those who would rather alter history and hide from the truth of the barbarism of our past.

Again, thank you for your interest and patience. North Carolina history contains some of the most horrific, and some of the most interesting history in the country. But this particular event still polarizes our state and its politics, and many of the descendants of the people involved in it are still in places of power now, evident not only with political shenanigans, but prominence in our educational system as well.

I believe this is an important part of history, especially now, that needs to be acknowledged. It is, however, only one of far too many atrocities that can never be atoned...