How to Incite a White Riot (1898)
White supremacists destroy Wilmington NC, a thriving mixed-race city
The Wilmington Massacre of 1898 (Nov 10, 1898) was a violent attack on the African American community in Wilmington, North Carolina, in which white supremacists overthrew the legitimately elected Fusionist biracial government in Wilmington and killed an unknown number of black residents. (Note character standing on “Fusion Ballot Box”)
One of the main causes of the massacre was the growing economic competition between white and black residents in Wilmington. As the city's economy grew, many African Americans began to establish successful businesses and gain economic power, which threatened the economic dominance of white residents. This led to resentment and hostility from the white community towards the black community.
Additionally, white supremacy groups, such as the Red Shirts and the Ku Klux Klan, actively fomented racial tension and encouraged violence against black residents. These groups spread false rumors of black men raping white women and encouraged white residents to take violent action against the black community. They also worked to disenfranchise black voters and prevent them from participating in the political process.
The culmination of these factors led to the Wilmington massacre of 1898, in which a mob of white residents, aided by the white supremacist groups, overthrew the locally elected government and killed an unknown number of black residents. The event was a tragic reminder of the deep-seated racism that existed in the United States at the time and the devastating consequences that can result from it.
Cartoon: Negro Rule: The Vampire That Hovers Over North Carolina
Date: Sept 27, 1898
Source: The News & Observer. (Raleigh, N.C.), 27 Sept. 1898. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
For more, read Pulitzer Prize-winner David Zucchino’s “Wilmington Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy”
The Wilmington white men used the most vicious rumor they could find: black men raping white women. Today, that rumor is neutered by white supremists, themselves, too often found to be sexual assault perpetrators on white women and girls—among others. Today, the rumor has morphed into the dangers posed by gender differences. Same old story.
What E.R. said. I generally try to find something funny to say about what you dig up in the Forgotten Files but I came up empty on this one.