Unearthing 1898, Part 3: The Aftermath

Cape Fear Unearthed

On the morning of Nov. 11, 1898, Wilmington was a city in shock.

The day prior, chaos reigned on the streets when a mob of armed white supremacists unleashed intimidation, threats and gunfire on the Black residents of Wilmington.

In the third episode of "Unearthing 1898," host Hunter Ingram and guests look at Wilmington in the days and years after Nov. 10, 1898.

What happened to the Black residents who fled or were banished from the city, many of them spending days hidden in fear in Wilmington swamps and cemeteries? How did the newly seized local government respond to the day of violence and attempt to restore order in an unruly city? And how did the events of 1898 lead to widespread legislative, economic, culture and societal changes that persisted throughout the state for decades and are still being dealt with today.

Joining the episode are LeRae Umfleet, the author of "A Day of Blood" and lead research of North Carolina's commission on 1898; Cynthia Brown, historian of St. Stephens AME Church in Wilmington; and David Cecelski, historian and co-author of "Democracy Betrayed."

Cape Fear Unearthed is written, edited and hosted by Hunter Ingram. Additional editing by Adam Fish.

The show is sponsored by Northchase Family Dentistry, Tidewater Heating & Air Conditioning, and Cape Fear Pharmacy.

Sources:

• "A Day of Blood: The 1898 Wilmington Race Riot," by LeRae Umfleet
• "Wilmington's Life: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy," by David Zucchino
• "Democracy Betrayed," edited by David Cecelski and Timothy Tyson.
• "Wilmington on Fire" (2015, dir. Christopher Everett
• Wilmington Massacre and Coup d'état of 1898 (an interactive timeline exhibit), CapeFearMuseum.com