Wilmington's lie, the murderous coup of 1898 and the rise of white supremacy / David Zucchino.
"By 1898 Wilmington, North Carolina, was a shining example of a mixed-race community-a bustling port city with a thriving African American middle class and a government made up of Republicans and Populists, including black aldermen, police officers, and magistrates. But across the state-and the South-white supremacist Democrats were working to reverse the advances made by former slaves and their progeny. They were plotting to take back the state legislature in the November 8th election and then use a controversial editorial published by black newspaper editor Alexander Manly to trigger a "race riot" to overthrow the elected government in Wilmington. With a coordinated campaign of intimidation and violence, the Democrats sharply curtailed the black vote and stuffed ballot boxes to steal the 1898 mid-term election. Two days later, more than 2,000 heavily armed white nightriders known as Red Shirts swarmed through Wilmington, terrorizing women and children and shooting at least sixty black men dead in the streets. The rebels forced city officials and leading black citizens to flee at gun point while hundreds of local African Americans took refuge in nearby swamps and forests. This brutal insurrection is the only violent overthrow of an elected government in U.S. history. It halted gains made by blacks and restored racism as official government policy, cementing white rule for another seventy years. It was not a "race riot" as the events of November 1898 came to be known, but rather a racially-motivated rebellion launched by white supremacists. In Wilmington's Lie, David Zucchino uses contemporary newspaper reports, diaries, letters, and official communications to create a gripping narrative that weaves together individual stories of hate, fear, and brutality. This is a dramatic and definitive account of a remarkable but forgotten chapter of American history"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 0802128386
- ISBN: 0802148654
- ISBN: 9780802128386
- ISBN: 9780802148650
- Physical Description: xxii, 426 pages, 12 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 23 cm
- Edition: First edition
- Publisher: New York, New York : Grove Press, [2020]
- Copyright: ©2020
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 357-408) and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- Book one. Days of hope -- Cake and wine -- Good will of the white people -- Lying out -- Marching to the happy land -- Ye men of unmixed blood -- Avenger cometh -- Destiny of the negro -- A yaller dog -- Book two. Reckoning -- Negro problem -- Incubus -- I say lynch -- A vile slander -- An excellent race -- A dark scheme -- Nation's mission -- Degenerate sons of the white race -- Great white man's rally and basket picnic -- White-capping -- Buckshot at close range -- A drunkard and a gambler -- Choke the Cape Fear with carcasses -- Shepherds will have nowhere to flee -- A pitiful condition -- Retribution in history -- Forbearance of all white men -- Book three. Line of fire -- What have we done? -- Situation serious -- Strictly according to law -- Marching from death -- Not the sort of man we want here -- Justice is satisfied, vengeance is cruel -- Persons unknown -- Better get a gun -- Meanest animals -- Old scores -- Grandfather clause -- Leave it to the whites -- I cannot live in North Carolina and be treated like a man -- Epilogue.
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- African Americans > Civil rights > North Carolina > Wilmington > History > 19th century.
White supremacy movements > North Carolina > Wilmington > History > 19th century.
Wilmington Massacre, Wilmington, N.C., 1898.
Wilmington (N.C.) > Politics and government > 19th century.
Wilmington (N.C.) > Race relations > History > 19th century.
Available copies
- 90 of 105 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
- 2 of 3 copies available at Onslow County Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 105 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Main Library | NC 305.8009 ZUC (Text) | 36015000834594 | Adult Nonfiction | Checked out | 08/13/2026 |
| Sneads Ferry Branch Library | NC 305.8009 ZUC (Text) | 36015000530341 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Swansboro Branch Library | NC 305.8009 ZUC (Text) | 36015000645867 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
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| 245 | 1 | 0. | ‡aWilmington's lie, the murderous coup of 1898 and the rise of white supremacy / ‡cDavid Zucchino. |
| 250 | . | ‡aFirst edition | |
| 264 | 1. | ‡aNew York, New York : ‡bGrove Press, ‡c[2020] | |
| 264 | 4. | ‡c©2020 | |
| 300 | . | ‡axxii, 426 pages, 12 unnumbered pages of plates : ‡billustrations, map ; ‡c23 cm | |
| 336 | . | ‡atext ‡btxt ‡2rdacontent | |
| 337 | . | ‡aunmediated ‡bn ‡2rdamedia | |
| 338 | . | ‡avolume ‡bnc ‡2rdacarrier | |
| 504 | . | ‡aIncludes bibliographical references (pages 357-408) and index. | |
| 505 | 0 | 0. | ‡gBook one. ‡tDays of hope -- ‡tCake and wine -- ‡tGood will of the white people -- ‡tLying out -- ‡tMarching to the happy land -- ‡tYe men of unmixed blood -- ‡tAvenger cometh -- ‡tDestiny of the negro -- ‡tA yaller dog -- ‡gBook two. ‡tReckoning -- ‡tNegro problem -- ‡tIncubus -- ‡tI say lynch -- ‡tA vile slander -- ‡tAn excellent race -- ‡tA dark scheme -- ‡tNation's mission -- ‡tDegenerate sons of the white race -- ‡tGreat white man's rally and basket picnic -- ‡tWhite-capping -- ‡tBuckshot at close range -- ‡tA drunkard and a gambler -- ‡tChoke the Cape Fear with carcasses -- ‡tShepherds will have nowhere to flee -- ‡tA pitiful condition -- ‡tRetribution in history -- ‡tForbearance of all white men -- ‡gBook three. ‡tLine of fire -- ‡tWhat have we done? -- ‡tSituation serious -- ‡tStrictly according to law -- ‡tMarching from death -- ‡tNot the sort of man we want here -- ‡tJustice is satisfied, vengeance is cruel -- ‡tPersons unknown -- ‡tBetter get a gun -- ‡tMeanest animals -- ‡tOld scores -- ‡tGrandfather clause -- ‡tLeave it to the whites -- ‡tI cannot live in North Carolina and be treated like a man -- ‡tEpilogue. |
| 520 | . | ‡a"By 1898 Wilmington, North Carolina, was a shining example of a mixed-race community-a bustling port city with a thriving African American middle class and a government made up of Republicans and Populists, including black aldermen, police officers, and magistrates. But across the state-and the South-white supremacist Democrats were working to reverse the advances made by former slaves and their progeny. They were plotting to take back the state legislature in the November 8th election and then use a controversial editorial published by black newspaper editor Alexander Manly to trigger a "race riot" to overthrow the elected government in Wilmington. With a coordinated campaign of intimidation and violence, the Democrats sharply curtailed the black vote and stuffed ballot boxes to steal the 1898 mid-term election. Two days later, more than 2,000 heavily armed white nightriders known as Red Shirts swarmed through Wilmington, terrorizing women and children and shooting at least sixty black men dead in the streets. The rebels forced city officials and leading black citizens to flee at gun point while hundreds of local African Americans took refuge in nearby swamps and forests. This brutal insurrection is the only violent overthrow of an elected government in U.S. history. It halted gains made by blacks and restored racism as official government policy, cementing white rule for another seventy years. It was not a "race riot" as the events of November 1898 came to be known, but rather a racially-motivated rebellion launched by white supremacists. In Wilmington's Lie, David Zucchino uses contemporary newspaper reports, diaries, letters, and official communications to create a gripping narrative that weaves together individual stories of hate, fear, and brutality. This is a dramatic and definitive account of a remarkable but forgotten chapter of American history"-- ‡cProvided by publisher. | |
| 650 | 0. | ‡aAfrican Americans ‡xCivil rights ‡zNorth Carolina ‡zWilmington ‡xHistory ‡y19th century. | |
| 650 | 0. | ‡aWhite supremacy movements ‡zNorth Carolina ‡zWilmington ‡xHistory ‡y19th century. | |
| 650 | 0. | ‡aWilmington Massacre, Wilmington, N.C., 1898. ‡0(CARDINAL)313416 | |
| 651 | 0. | ‡aWilmington (N.C.) ‡xPolitics and government ‡y19th century. | |
| 651 | 0. | ‡aWilmington (N.C.) ‡xRace relations ‡xHistory ‡y19th century. | |
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