Scene on Radio S6 E2: Crying "Negro Rule"
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Jan 17, 2024 Exploring the untold story of the 1898 Wilmington massacre and coup, the rise of white supremacy in North Carolina, voter suppression tactics used by white supremacists, and the history and denial of white supremacy in America.
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Wilmington's Black Prosperity Before 1898
- Wilmington in the 1890s was unusually prosperous for Black residents with high home ownership and professional jobs.
- Black people ran businesses and held key civic posts, showing sustained multi-racial civic life before the coup.
Fusion Politics Threatened White Elites
- A Fusion coalition of Black Republicans and mostly-White Populists held state and federal offices in North Carolina by 1898.
- That multi-racial political success made Wilmington and the state targets for a white supremacist backlash.
White Supremacy As A Planned Campaign Strategy
- Democratic leader Furnifold Simmons pivoted to an explicit white supremacy platform because issues alone couldn't win elections.
- The party produced campaign kits to spread racial fear and unify local committees statewide.