American Coup: Wilmington 1898 tells the little-known story of a race massacre and coup d’etat in Wilmington, NC, in which white supremacists overthrew the multi-racial “Fusion” government of North Carolina’s largest city through a coordinated campaign of violence and intimidation that destroyed Black political and economic power and imposed white control.
PBS North Carolina invites you to explore the history, stories and situations leading up to and following the tragic events of Wilmington in 1898, and presents opportunities for students and teachers to examine and analyze crucial themes and issues that remain pertinent today through educational lesson plans and more.
In this interactive lesson, students will learn about the 1898 Wilmington coup, a violent uprising of white supremacists that overthrew an integrated Fusionist government and shattered North Carolina’s largest city. White supremacists within North Carolina’s Democratic Party devised a deliberate series of strategies and tactics, including a relentless propaganda campaign that led directly not only to the coup itself but to new state laws that effectively disenfranchised North Carolina’s Black citizens. This lesson includes five video segments from American Coup: Wilmington 1898.
Learn how the history of the 1898 Wilmington coup and race massacre was effectively erased from textbooks and collective memory in this video adapted from American Coup: Wilmington 1898.
In this interactive lesson, students will learn about the 1898 Wilmington Coup, the only successful coup in U.S. history, which resulted in voter intimidation, the forceful eviction of elected Black politicians and municipal officeholders, and a landslide victory for the Democratic Party candidates in Wilmington, North Carolina. It also led to violence that killed dozens and displaced thousands of Black Wilmingtonians, who had to flee their homes and businesses—most never to return. In the lesson, students will focus on the roles played by the press to better understand its power in shaping public opinion at a time when alternative sources of information were limited.
The little-known story of the deadly 1898 race massacre and coup d’etat in Wilmington, NC.
Public media stations and community organizations nationwide are hosting free community screenings of American Coup: Wilmington 1898. All events are free and open to the public. Review our calendar of events below, and check back often, as new events are added regularly.
American Coup: Wilmington 1898 has been made possible by support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Atlantic Packaging. Additional support comes from the Ford Foundation JustFilms, NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Firelight Media, Black Public Media and Andy and Tracy Lowenthal.
Support for complementary education and engagement initiatives provided by the Elizabeth L. Carter Foundation, the Truist Foundation, and North Carolina Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and by Wendy and Michael Brenner, Blanche Williamson, The Robinson-Hill Humanitarian Fund, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, and by John and Mary Louise Burress, Leigh Carter, Michael and Kathleen Glancy, Kate Woodbury and an anonymous donor.
Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this film do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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