LeRae Umfleet, Cedric Harrison, David Cecelski, and William Sturkey discuss the successful coup d’etat in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1898. Topics include the surprising world of Wilmington in the 19th century, the violence and lack of justice in the coup, and the challenges faced by black people during Reconstruction.
The Wilmington coup of 1898, the only successful coup in US history, highlights the enduring silence and neglect surrounding racial atrocities in American history.
Abraham Galloway, born into slavery, played a crucial role in the fight for African-American freedom, working as a Union spy during the Civil War and making significant contributions to the suffrage movement in North Carolina.
Deep dives
The Significance of Wilmington 1898 as a Successful Coup
Wilmington, North Carolina was the site of the only successful coup in US history, taking place in November 1898. This coup involved a well-planned conspiracy by white supremacists who overthrew the city's mayor and city council at gunpoint, resulting in a violent massacre of black people. The coup was a clear example of a coup d'état, an armed overthrow of a legally elected government. Despite its historical significance, the events of Wilmington 1898 have been largely ignored or downplayed, compared to other incidents of racial violence such as the Tulsa Massacre. The lack of acknowledgement and accountability for this coup demonstrates the enduring silence and neglect surrounding the racial atrocities in US history.
Abraham Galloway: An Extraordinary Freedom Fighter
Abraham Galloway, a prominent figure from Wilmington, North Carolina, was an extraordinary freedom fighter and political activist. Born as an enslaved person, he escaped bondage and went on to become heavily involved in the anti-slavery movement, even working with John Brown and participating in plans for armed resistance against the South. Galloway's courageous efforts continued during the Civil War, where he served as a Union spy, helping enslaved people escape and providing vital intelligence to Union forces. After the war, Galloway became a state lawmaker and made significant contributions to the fight for African-American freedom, including introducing the first amendment for women's suffrage in North Carolina.
The Cosmopolitan Culture of Pre-Civil War Wilmington
Pre-Civil War Wilmington, North Carolina, had a vibrant, cosmopolitan culture due to its thriving harbor and maritime industry. The waterfront was a bustling hub of activity with African-American sailors, boatmen, and workers from diverse backgrounds, interacting and exchanging ideas. Enslaved black people working in and around the harbor had access to information and experiences from across the world, making them highly sophisticated political thinkers. This cosmopolitan environment contributed to the development of African-American resistance networks and fostered a vision of a more inclusive and democratic America, which had a lasting impact on Wilmington's black community.
Wilmington's Exceptionalism: Political Power and Economic Success
Wilmington, North Carolina, stood as a remarkable exception in the post-Civil War era, maintaining a level of multiracial democracy and black economic success that was rare in the South. The city was a stronghold of fusionist politics, bringing together the Republican Party and the populist movement, which aimed to uplift the interests of both black and white working-class citizens. Fusionists held political power in Wilmington, with black individuals holding seats in the city council and significant black-owned businesses thriving. However, white supremacists viewed this political and economic progress as a threat and ultimately orchestrated the violent overthrow of the multiracial democracy in the infamous coup of 1898.
This series tells the story of the only successful coup d’etat in U.S. history, and the white supremacist massacre that went with it. It happened in Wilmington, North Carolina in November 1898. But before we get to that story, we explore the surprising world of Wilmington in the 19th century – the world that the massacre and coup violently destroyed.
By Michael A. Betts, II, and John Biewen. Interviews with LeRae Umfleet, Cedric Harrison, David Cecelski, and William Sturkey. The series story editor is Loretta Williams. Music in this episode by Kieran Haile, Blue Dot Sessions, Lucas Biewen, Kevin MacLeod, Jameson Nathan Jones, Alon Peretz, and Florian. Art by Zaire McPhearson. “Echoes of a Coup” is an initiative of America’s Hallowed Ground, a project of the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University.
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