Episode Details

In 1898, white supremacists in Wilmington orchestrated a violent coup and massacre, fueled by media propaganda that falsely blamed Black residents for rising crime. Historians and educators are now confronting this dark chapter, revealing how Democratic newspapers weaponized misinformation to justify violence — including the forced resignation of officials at gunpoint, not public demand. Black-owned businesses were destroyed, including the Daily Record, whose editor Alexander Manly fled for his life; his family later donated rare copies of the paper to the Cape Fear Museum, though they remain hidden from public view. As gentrification sweeps through Wilmington, historic sites — like a bullet-riddled tree — face erasure, threatening to wipe out physical evidence of this pivotal moment. Yet the lessons endure: understanding how lies ignite hatred and why preserving truth is essential as communities reckon with their past.

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