SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Local politicians in both city and county government have made a proclamation designating November as a time of commemoration, mourning and reflection in honor of the victims in the 1898 Massacre and Coup. A slate of events are scheduled over the next 10 days to help educate and inform the community-at-large about the coup, as well as show respect to those who lost their lives and to the families who still grapple with the generational trauma.
Before Nov. 10, 1898, Wilmington — then the largest city in North Carolina — had a growing Black middle-class, who owned businesses and properties, were doctors, educators, lawyers, and politicians. On Nov. 10, 1898, white supremacists with the Democratic Party overthrew the local Wilmington government, then led by an unofficial Fusionist party of Republicans and Populists, made up of both Black businessmen and white allies. Historians have called the massacre the only successful coup in U.S. history.
Led by Alfred Waddell, a Confederate officer and congressman, a mob killed many African Americans and dislocated others from their homes and businesses — one of which included the torching of the Black-owned newspaper, The Daily Record. Its editor, Alexander Manly, had written a piece about mixed-race relationships, which inflamed the white supremacists.
Earlier this week, New Hanover County Board of Commissioners took a step to recognize the impact of these events on Wilmington and signed a proclamation to officially designate November as 1898 Commemoration Month. Wilmington City Council will follow suit and sign a proclamation Wednesday evening.
“It is great when you acknowledge your history,” Commissioner Jonathan Barfield said at the board of commissioners meeting, after chief diversity officer Linda Thompson read aloud the proclamation. “Having grown up here and gone [to] Blount Elementary, Snipes and New Hanover High School, I never heard about this 1898 coup d’etat. It’s amazing how it was just eliminated from public education all those years.”
Only over the last two decades has research about and recognition of the massacre popularized. A state commission was founded in 2000 to study the events and establish the historical record of what happened. A 464-page report was released in 2006.
In 2007, the N.C. General Assembly passed a resolution to officially recognize the coup, and during the same year the 1898 Foundation in Wilmington broke ground on the 1898 Memorial Park. It became dedicated at Hanover and 3rd streets in 2008.
Today, a few historical markers in the city recognize the horrific tragedy. Near The Daily Record offices on South Third Street, a plaque is installed in homage to Manly: “Alex Manly. 1866-1944. Edited black-owned Daily Record four blocks east. Mob burned his office, Nov. 10, 1898, leading to ‘race riot’ & restrictions on black voting in N.C.”
Another was erected on Market Street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, in 2019 to signify where the rioting began over 100 years ago. The marker states:
“Wilmington coup. Armed Crowd met, Nov. 10, 1898, at armory here, marched 6 blocks S.E., and burned office of Daily Record, black-owned newspaper edited by Alex Manly. Violence left up to 60 blacks dead. Led to overthrow of city government and the installation of coup leader Alfred Moore Waddell as mayor. ‘Race riot’ was part of a state-wide political campaign based on calls for white supremacy and exploitation of racial tensions.”
As part of countywide events over the next 10 days, a plaque will be installed to honor the late Reverend Dr. J. Allen Kirk, a well-known pastor in the community, who was targeted during the riots. According to research from the Academic Affairs Library in Chapel Hill, the reverend took his family to hide in the colored cemetery to escape the violence of the rioters who eventually stormed his home. The plaque ceremony will take place at 3rd and Red Cross streets.
As well, New York Times contributor David Zucchino will be in town to talk about his 2021 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “Wilmington’s Lie: The Rise Of White Supremacy In A Southern City.”
“It is so important that we as a community come together to find ways to heal, find ways to move forward together,” Barfield said.
Here are all events taking place throughout the county, leading up to the anniversary date, Nov. 10:
Wednesday, Nov. 3, noon-12:45 p.m.
Wilmington History 101
Lunchtime Lessons on 1898
1898 Memorial Park, 1018 N 3rd Street, Wilmington
Thursday, Nov. 4, 10 a.m. – noon
Pastors Prayer Brunch
Martin Luther King Center, 401 S 8th Street, Wilmington
Friday, Nov. 5, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Race & Reconciliation virtual event via Zoom
Click link to register
Saturday, Nov. 6, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Soil Collection Project Ceremony
1898 Memorial Park, 1018 N 3rd Street
The New Hanover County Community Remembrance Project will display soil samples from locations where Black residents were slaughtered by a white mob. The ceremony will recognize the known and unknown victims, survivors and descendants from both groups.
Saturday, Nov. 6, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Funeral Procession & Graveside Ceremony for Joshua Halsey
Pine Forest Cemetery, 408 N 16th Street
A funeral procession will be held for Joshua Hasley, one of the victims in the 1898 Massacre, whose grave was found by the Third Person Project 123 years after the coup. Hasley’s funeral will begin at 3:15 p.m. at the intersection of 6th and Bladen streets, turn onto Red Cross Street and move down Rankin Street before entering the cemetery. No public parking will be available at Pine Forest Cemetery due to restricted space. Because roadside parking will be limited, the public is encouraged to park at MedNorth (925 N 4th Street) and starting at 2 p.m., a shuttle service will run to the cemetery every 15-20 minutes until the procession begins. Return shuttles will begin at 5:15 p.m. after the conclusion of the graveside service and will transport attendees back to the MedNorth parking lot.
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Meet and greet and film screening of “The Red Cape”
Cape Fear Museum, 814 Market Street
The short film by Nelson Oliver follows a father and child, struggling to overcome the mounting white supremacy campaign that incites the violent 1898 Wilmington Massacre and Coup.
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Meet David Zucchino, author of “Wilmington’s Lie”
First Baptist Church, 411 Market Street
Numerous papers and books have been written about 1898 throughout the years, but in 2021 Zucchino’s book took home the Pulitzer Prize.
Wednesday, Nov. 10, noon-1 p.m.
Rev. Dr. J. Allen Kirk State Marker Installation Ceremony
Corner of 3rd and Red Cross streets
Another marker will be erected in honor of the late Reverend Dr. J. Allen Kirk. Kirk was a well-known pastor in the community, who was targeted during the riots. who was targeted during the 1898 Riots at that location. The state marker will be installed at the corner of 3rd and Red Cross streets.
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
1898 Commemoration Unity Service
Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 4925 New Centre Drive
The unity service will feature keynote speaker Dr. Ben Chavis, a member of the historic Wilmington Ten.
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