How white supremacists staged the only successful coup in U.S. history
Summary
In 1898, white supremacists in Wilmington, North Carolina, violently overthrew the city’s legally elected government, which included Black leaders, in what is considered the only successful coup in U.S. history. This event led to the destruction of the city’s Black newspaper and the killing of Black citizens, dramatically changing Wilmington’s political landscape.Key Facts
- Wilmington, NC, was a prosperous city where Black and white leaders shared power before 1898.
- White supremacists, mainly former slave owners, organized a campaign to remove Black political influence.
- On November 10, 1898, a mob burned down The Daily Record, the city’s only Black-owned newspaper.
- The mob killed at least three Black men immediately after a shot was fired during the takeover.
- The coup resulted in the replacement of Wilmington’s elected government with white supremacist control.
- The event is commemorated by a memorial with six bronze paddles in downtown Wilmington.
- The story has been largely unknown and is being brought to light through education and a new book titled "They Stole a City."
- Some local institutions, like Wilmington’s First Presbyterian Church, are working to acknowledge their links to this history.
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