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Stuff You Should Know

The Wilmington Massacre

November 05, 2026 • 42m

Summary

⏱️ 12 min read

Overview

This episode examines the 1898 Wilmington Massacre, considered the only successful coup in American history, where white supremacists violently overthrew a democratically elected biracial government in Wilmington, North Carolina. The hosts detail how a well-organized white supremacy campaign, fueled by propaganda and intimidation, led to the murder of dozens to hundreds of Black residents and the forced exile of thousands more. The episode explores the roots of the violence in post-Reconstruction tensions, the mechanics of the coup, and how the true story was buried for over a century.

Historical Erasure and the Importance of Truth

The Wilmington Massacre demonstrates how historical atrocities can be deliberately buried and reframed for generations. The event was suppressed, mischaracterized as a race riot rather than a massacre, and excluded from mainstream historical narratives for over a century. The hosts emphasize that these are stories not just overlooked but actively buried, and that uncovering the truth is essential—both to honor the victims and to understand ongoing patterns of violence and oppression. The episode itself represents part of the ongoing work of historical reckoning.

  • The massacre was deliberately buried and mischaracterized for decades
  • Official narratives based on perpetrators' accounts went unchallenged for generations
  • Stories like this are not just overlooked but actively buried and need to be dragged up and shown
" These are often stories that are not only overlooked, but in some cases like this one, kind of like buried for decades and decades. So nobody knows the truth of the matter. "

Contemporary Parallels and Ongoing Relevance

Throughout the episode, the hosts note disturbing parallels between the 1898 Wilmington Massacre and recent events, including armed torch-bearing marches reminiscent of Charlottesville, propaganda techniques similar to modern disinformation campaigns, and voter suppression tactics that continue today. The story shares haunting similarities with the Tulsa Massacre—both targeted thriving Black communities with economic and political power, both involved mass violence and property destruction, and in neither case was anyone prosecuted. The hosts emphasize that dominant groups still slaughter minority populations worldwide, making this history urgently relevant.

  • The torch-bearing white men's parade was similar to the Charlottesville march in recent years
  • Wealthy elites funding extremist movements rather than average citizens mirrors modern political dynamics
  • The Wilmington Massacre bears uncanny resemblance to the Tulsa Massacre in targeting Black prosperity and escaping prosecution
" This still goes on in the world. Dominant groups still slaughter other groups for whatever reason. And it just so happened that in the 1890s in Wilmington, North Carolina, It was white supremacists slaughtering black residents who had been democratically elected or just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. "

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