The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898: The Coup That Changed American Democracy
Black History Through the Lens of Liberation
The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
OR, How White Supremacists Overthrew a Black-Led Government and Rewrote History
The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 stands as one of the darkest and most significant events in United States history, a violent coup d'état that overthrew the elected, multiracial government of Wilmington, North Carolina. This insurrection wasn’t a spontaneous eruption of violence—it was a carefully planned and executed attack by white supremacists determined to dismantle Black political power, enforce segregation, and restore white dominance in the South.
The aftermath of this event reshaped Southern politics, ushered in the era of Jim Crow, and has had long-lasting repercussions on Black communities and political representation. It is a stark reminder of how violence, coupled with political manipulation, can dismantle progress and entrench systemic oppression.
Background: The Rise of Black Political and Economic Power
In the late 19th century, Wilmington was a thriving, majority-Black city with a prosperous middle class. Black professionals, business owners, and politicians were integral to the city’s development, and during Reconstruction, they gained significant political influence.
By the 1890s, Black citizens held important positions in local government, and Black-owned businesses flourished. The Fusionist coalition—an alliance between the Populist Party and the Republican Party—had gained power in North Carolina, representing both poor Black and white citizens, who shared economic grievances against the Democratic Party and the white elite. This coalition gave Black residents a platform to advocate for their rights and influence local governance.
However, this progress was intolerable to the white elite, who viewed Black political participation and economic success as a direct threat to white supremacy.
Planning the Coup: White Supremacy on the Offensive
The coup was planned by white supremacist leaders from the Democratic Party, who were determined to suppress Black political power. They employed a strategy of propaganda, fearmongering, and intimidation to mobilize white citizens against the Fusionist government. Their rhetoric focused on stoking fears of “Black domination,” using racist tropes to portray Black men as threats to white women and Black leaders as unfit to govern.
One of the key figures in this effort was Josephus Daniels (please note how he is written about), the white supremacist editor of the News & Observer, who spread inflammatory and racist articles to incite violence. Another was Alfred Moore Waddell, a former Confederate officer who played a central role in organizing the insurrection.
Key Reflection: How does propaganda fuel violence, and how can it be countered in modern movements for justice?
The Spark: The Publication of the White Supremacy Campaign
In 1898, tensions reached a boiling point after the publication of an editorial by Alex Manly, the Black editor of the Daily Record, a Black-owned newspaper in Wilmington. Manly’s editorial challenged the racist narrative that Black men were sexually predatory toward white women (Black brute trope), pointing out the widespread reality of consensual relationships between white women and Black men and condemning the widespread sexual violence of white men against Black women.
White supremacists seized on the editorial as an excuse for violence, using it to inflame white citizens and justify their plan to overthrow the local government.
The Day of the Insurrection: November 10, 1898
On November 10, 1898, a mob of over 2,000 armed white men marched through Wilmington, attacking Black residents and destroying their homes and businesses. The Daily Record office was set on fire, symbolizing the attack on Black voices and political power.
Dozens of Black residents were murdered, though the exact death toll is unknown because many victims’ bodies were dumped into the Cape Fear River. Black community leaders were forced to flee the city to avoid being killed. The mob systematically dismantled the local government, forcing elected officials—both Black and white Fusionists—out of office at gunpoint.
Alfred Moore Waddell declared himself mayor of Wilmington, marking the only successful coup d’état in U.S. history.
The Aftermath: The Collapse of Black Political Power
The insurrection had devastating consequences for Wilmington’s Black community. Black residents who had fled the violence were unable to return, and those who remained faced economic devastation, political disenfranchisement, and constant terror.
The coup was a major turning point in North Carolina’s history, as the state legislature passed a series of laws designed to suppress Black voting through poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses. These laws, coupled with widespread violence and intimidation, effectively ended Black political participation in the state for decades.
Nationally, the insurrection emboldened white supremacists across the South to enact similar measures, ushering in the era of Jim Crow. The lesson was clear: any attempt by Black people to achieve political or economic equality would be met with violent reprisal.
Reflection: What systems today are designed to suppress Black political power, and how can we confront and dismantle them?
The Legacy of Wilmington: Trauma and Erasure
The events of 1898 were intentionally downplayed or omitted from history books for decades. White officials framed the insurrection as a “race riot,” implying that Black residents were responsible for the violence. This narrative allowed the perpetrators to avoid accountability and obscured the truth of what happened.
For the Black community, the insurrection was a trauma that left scars for generations. Families were displaced, businesses destroyed, and the sense of security shattered. It wasn’t until recent years that efforts to uncover the truth and acknowledge the victims gained traction.
Modern Parallels: Voter Suppression and Political Disenfranchisement
The Wilmington insurrection is not just a historical event—it’s a warning. The same tactics of voter suppression, intimidation, and political manipulation used in 1898 continue to be employed today. Modern-day voter ID laws, gerrymandering, and targeted purges of voter rolls disproportionately impact Black communities, echoing the legacy of Jim Crow.
The insurrection also highlights the power of controlling the narrative. Just as white supremacists distorted the truth about Wilmington, today’s media and political forces often misrepresent Black-led movements and label them as threats to public safety.
Reflection: What role does historical truth play in achieving justice, and how can we ensure that suppressed stories are brought to light?
Resistance and Resilience: The Black Response
Despite the terror inflicted upon them, Black people in Wilmington and across the South continued to resist oppression through mutual aid societies, church organizations, and the development of Black-owned businesses. While the insurrection was a setback, it did not end the fight for freedom.
The legacy of Wilmington lives on in today’s movements for voting rights, reparations, and historical accountability. Organizations like the NAACP, Black Voters Matter, and others continue to advocate for policies that address the long-term impact of voter suppression and economic disenfranchisement.
Actionable Step: Research voter suppression efforts in your state or community and support organizations working to protect and expand voting rights for marginalized communities.
Why the Wilmington Insurrection Matters Now
The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 is a critical reminder that progress is never guaranteed and that white supremacy will always seek to reclaim power through violence and manipulation. The history of this event challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths about America’s past and to remain vigilant in the fight for justice.
People often look to far-off lands when discussing the rise of fascism and violent coups, as if these dangers are foreign concepts. But the truth is, America has always been fertile ground for authoritarian takeovers—especially when Black progress threatens white dominance. The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 is not some distant anomaly; it is a blueprint for how white supremacy reclaims power through violence, intimidation, and political manipulation.
This history challenges us to stop treating fascism as something that happens “elsewhere” and recognize that the U.S. has its own long-standing legacy of anti-democratic violence. Wilmington was not just a moment in time—it was a warning.
We honor the resilience of those who survived and remember the lives lost by refusing to look away. Just as our ancestors did, we organize, we educate, and we refuse to be silenced. Understanding this history isn’t just about remembrance—it’s about learning the tactics of white supremacist coups so that we can dismantle the systems that continue to uphold them today.
A 28-Day Journey Through Black Resistance and Liberation
This lesson is part of my 28-Day Journey Through Black Resistance and Liberation, a living document designed to help families and individuals understand the long history of Black resilience, self-determination, and the fight for justice.
Join the journey today: [Link to purchase guide]
In solidarity and liberation,
Desireé B. Stephens CPS-P
Educator | Counselor | Community Builder
Founder, Make Shi(f)t Happen
Thank you for sharing these important pieces of our history. Hopefully, someday, we'll see them in history books more often. I've been sharing as much as I can. Thanks again. There are powerful warnings in history.
I shared this story about a year ago when my son wanted to visit a young woman who lived just outside of Wilmington. I can’t thank you enough for “this”. Some days you have to show your children who people “were” so they can learn that as bad as it looks today, we are blessed by our ancestors struggles. Our actions today make a difference (either through bad choices or bold decisions to make a change.)