Unearthing 1898, Part 1: The Campaign

Cape Fear Unearthed

On the morning of Nov. 10, 1898, Wilmington awoke to violence in the streets.

A white supremacist mob had started the morning by marching through the city, burning a Black-run newspaper and eventually killing Black citizens in the streets before overthrowing the local government.

But to understand the truly horrific motivations behind the 1898 Wilmington Massacre, we have to first explore what set the stage for it.

In the first episode of "Unearthing 1898," host Hunter Ingram and guests look at Wilmington from the end of the Civil War through the Election of 1898, exploring how the city became a majority Black community, why it was an example of racial progress in the country, how a political shift in power terrified white Democrats desperate to hold onto control, and the ways they set in motion a plan to steal that power back through duplicitous and downright murderous means.

Joining the episode are LeRae Umfleet, the author of "A Day of Blood" and lead research of North Carolina's commission on 1898; Jan Davidson, historian of the Cape Fear Museum; and Chris E. Fonvielle Jr., a historian and author.

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 Timeline of Events, CapeFearMuseum.com