Book excerpt: "They Stole a City" by Lauren Collins
Summary
The book "They Stole a City" by Lauren Collins explores the 1898 coup in Wilmington, North Carolina, where White supremacists overthrew a multi-racial government. The book studies the long-term effects of this event on families and politics, showing how racial oppression shaped generations and influenced voter restrictions even in recent times.Key Facts
- In 1898, White supremacists staged a violent takeover of Wilmington's racially mixed government.
- The coup ended with the federal government refusing to intervene or protect Black citizens.
- New voting laws like the grandfather clause blocked most Black people from voting while allowing most white men to vote.
- Wilmington's Black population and Black-owned businesses declined after the coup.
- White supremacists controlled politics in Wilmington and much of North Carolina for decades afterward.
- North Carolina did not elect another Black person to national office until 1992.
- The book studies the impact on four families, two white and two Black, to understand the personal legacies of the event.
- Recent North Carolina voting laws are seen as a continuation of past efforts to disenfranchise Black voters.
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