“The Wilmington Race Riot of 1898”

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Wilmington’sPopulation

WhiteBlack

White 5,526 6,888 8,731 10,556 13,267Black 7,920 10,462 11,324 10,407 12,107

1870 1880 1890 1900 1910

1890sWilmington• Wilmingtonwasabustling,thrivingporttownforalllevelsofsocietyand

racesduringthelastquarterofthe19th century.• Itwasthestate’slargestcity,withamajorityofthepopulation(two-thirds)

beingAfricanAmerican.

1890sWilmington• WilmingtonwasthecenterofAfricanAmericanpoliticaland

economicsuccess,andwasconsideredasymbolof“blackhope.”– Astrongreligiouscommunitysupportedcharitableorganizations,and

promotededucationalimprovementsforAfricanAmericans.– AfricanAmericansfromawiderangeofbackgroundswereabletomanage

theirownbusinessesandbuyhomesthroughoutthecity.– AfricanAmericanentrepreneursownedbarbershops,restaurants,tailor

shops,anddrugstores.Thecityboastednumerousblackprofessionalssuchasattorneys,andAfricanAmericansheldpositionsasfiremenandpolicemen.

– IngreaternumbersthaninmanyotherNorthCarolinatowns,Wilmington’sAfricanAmericansparticipatedinpoliticsandheldmunicipalandpoliticalpositions.

– Theblackmaleliteracyratewashigherthanthatofwhites.

• Overall,theAfricanAmericanandwhiteracesexistedpeacefully,thoughseparately.

1890sPoliticsDemocraticParty- 1800s

• Originallythepartysupportingslaveholding

• Developedintoacoalitionofwealthy,workingclass,andruralwhitemembers

• ControlledNCstateandlocalgovernmentsfrom1876-1894

• Coalitionweakenedafter1880s

RepublicanParty– 1800s• Originallyemergedasthe

anti-slaverypartyinthemid-1850s,thoughwasnotofficiallyorganizedinNCuntil1867

• Platformconsistedoffreeenterprise,racialtoleration,andpoliticalequalityforAfricanAmericans

PopulistParty• Knownasthe“People’sParty”• Foundedbyworkingclassand

ruralwhites(predominatelyfarmers)wholefttheDemocraticParty

1890sPolitics– TheFusionMovement• Asaneconomicdepressioninthelate1800sdeepened,whitePopulistsjoined

forceswithBlackRepublicansformingthe“FusionCoalition”(1894-1896).• By“fusing”theirvoters,theyhopedtodefeattheDemocratsandregaincontrolof

localandstatewidepolitics.• Fusionistschampionedlocalself-government,freepubliceducation,andelectoral

reformsthatwouldgiveblackmenthesamevotingrightsaswhites.• “Fusion”wassuccessfulandthepartywoneveryNCstatewideofficeinthe1894

and1896 elections• DanielRussellwaselectedtoserveasthefirstRepublicanGovernor

ofNorthCarolinasinceReconstruction.• RussellenactedchangestoWilmingtonandNewBerncitycharters

inordertoreverselawsestablishedbyDemocratstoassuretheircontrolofthosecities.

• “Fusionists”allowedmoreAfrican-Americanparticipationingovernment,althoughonlyahandfulofpositionswereheldbyAfricanAmericans. GovernorDaniel

Russell(Republican)

PreparingfortheElectionof1898

• WhiteDemocratshadlostcontrolofstatepolitics,butpromisedtoavengetheirdefeatatthehandsofwhitePopulistsandAfricanAmericanRepublicansintheelectionof1898.

• The1898electionwasseenbyDemocratsaspivotaltoregainingcontrolofthestatelegislature;theirplanwastoreverselawscreatedbyFusionists.

• DanielSchenck,aDemocraticpartyleader,warned,“Itwillbethemeanest,vilest,dirtiestcampaignsince1876”(theelectionthatendedreconstructionintheSouth).

• Furnifold SimmonsdevelopedastrongDemocraticPartymachinetousepropaganda,printedmedia,speechmakingandintimidationtoachievevictoryatallcosts.

• The1898campaignwasthemostorganizedDemocraticPartyelectioncampaignupuntilthattime.

PreparingfortheElectionof1898

• ThroughouttheperiodleadinguptoElectionDayonNovember8,1898,WilmingtonbecamethecenteroftheDemocraticParty’swhitesupremacycampaignandthecitywasonedge.

• WilmingtonDemocratsdeterminedthatacampaignofracismwouldappealtoWilmingtoncitizens;causingdoubtandfearinwhiteresidentswithwhitesupremacistpropaganda wouldultimatelyshatterthefragilealliancebetweenwhitesandblacksintheFusionCoalition.

• IntimidationofwhiteRepublicansandAfricanAmericansthroughoutthecampaignwaschanneledthroughgroupssuchastheWhiteGovernmentUnionandRedShirtbrigades,bothdevelopedandengineeredbySimmons.

• MenofallracesexpectedviolenceonElectionDayasRedShirtssoughttointimidatevotersandAfricanAmericansvowedtoexercisetheirrighttovoteregardlessofconsequence.

PreparingfortheElectionof1898-Propaganda&Intimidation

“You are Anglo-Saxons.

You are armed and prepared, and you will do your duty. Be ready at a moment’s notice.

Go to the polls tomorrow, and if you find the Negro out voting, tell him to leave the polls and if he refuses kill, shoot him down in his tracks.

We shall win tomorrow if we have to do it with guns”

Alfred Moore Waddell November 7, 1898

“You are Anglo-Saxons.

You are armed and prepared, and you will do your duty. Be ready at a moment’s notice.

Go to the polls tomorrow, and if you find the Negro out voting, tell him to leave the polls and if he refuses kill, shoot him down in his tracks.

We shall win tomorrow if we have to do it with guns”

Alfred Moore Waddell November 7, 1898

Propaganda&Intimidation

• TheRedShirtswereagroupofDemocraticPartymemberswhosegoalwastointimidateblackcitizensfromvotinginthe1898election.

• Theyheldracistrallies,disruptedAfrican-AmericanchurchservicesandRepublicanmeetings,andpatrolledstreetswithgunsbeforetheelectiontofrightenblacksawayfromthepolls.

• ThefirstRedShirtsappearedinNorthCarolinainthefallof1898and,byElectionDay,theorganizationboastedmembershipinseveraleasterncounties,includingastrongcontingentinNewHanoverCounty.

RedShirtsfromLaurinburg,NC

Propaganda&Intimidation

• Newspaperstoriesandpublicspeechesofwhitesupremacistswereusedtocreatefearofblacksinwhitecitizens.

• Whitesocietywascautionedof“blackbeasts”whowouldharmwhitewomenandwhitesocietyifnotstopped.

• WiththesupportoftheracisteditoroftheNewsandObserveratthetime,JosephusDaniels,whocontinuallysupportedandprintedsuchpropaganda,whitecitizenswereconvincedthatblackequalitywouldmeantheendofsocietyastheyknewit.

• OneofthemostglaringexamplesofsuchtensionwasillustratedintheburningofWilmington’sonlyblack-ownednewspaper,TheWilmingtonRecord,whoseeditorwaslikewisethreatenedandranoutoftown.

Propaganda&Intimidation–AlexManly&TheWilmingtonRecord

• AlexManlywasthemulattoeditoroftheWilmingtonRecord – thecity’sonlyAfricanAmericannewspaperatthetime.

• InAugust,1898,ManlyprintedaneditorialinresponsetoaspeechgivenbyaGeorgiawomanthatthewhite-ownedpaperinWilmingtonhadpublished.

• Intheracistspeech,thewomansupportedthelynchingofAfricanAmericanmaleswhohad“inappropriate”relationshipswithwhitewomen.Shecautionedwhitementobetterprotectwhitewomenfromsuchbehavior.

• Manlywasrightfullyinfuriatedbythespeechanditspublishing.Inhiseditorialresponse,hearguedthatwhitemaleswerejustasguiltyforhavingrelationshipswithAfricanAmericanfemales.Healsonotedthatwhitewomenmightenjoythecompanyofblackmenasmuchaswhitemenenjoythatofblackwomen.

• Theexchangeofwordsbetweenthetwonewspapersincreasedracialtensions.• AlfredMooreWaddellusedthesetensionstotheDemocraticParty’sadvantage,

callingfortheremovaloftheRepublicansandPopulistsinpowerinWilmingtonatthetime.

• Heproposedinaspeechthatthewhitecitizens,ifnecessary,should“choketheCapeFearwithcarcasses.”

• ManlywasrunoutofthecityaftertheNov.election,avoidingcertainlynching.Helivedtheremainderofhislifeinnorthernstates.

AlexManly

Propaganda&Intimidation

• Thedaybeforetheelection,DemocratsheldarallyatThalianHallinwhichAlfredMooreWaddellgaveaspeechthatdemonstratedhisparty’sdetermination:

“YouareAnglo-Saxons.

Youarearmedandprepared,andyouwilldoyourduty.Bereadyatamoment’snotice.

Gotothepollstomorrow,andifyoufindtheNegrooutvoting,tellhimtoleavethepollsandifherefuseskill-shoothimdowninhistracks.

Weshallwintomorrowifwehavetodoitwithguns”

AlfredMooreWaddellNovember7,1898

ElectionDay– Nov.8,1898

• AfricanAmericanvoters,braveinthefaceofhatredandintimidation,stillturnedoutinlargenumbersfortheelectionof1898.

• However,thenumberofRepublicansandPopulistswaslessthantheextremelylargenumberofDemocraticvoterswhoturnedout.

• TheDemocratswhofavoredwhitesupremacywerealsoreportedto“stuff”theballotboxes.– InWilmington,ballotcountingwasundisturbedinmostcityprecincts,butonepolling

placeintheAfricanAmericancommunitywas“stormed”bywhiteswhostuffedtheballotboxeswhenlightswereextinguished.

• Democratswonmostoftheircontestsacrossthestatewithlargemajorities.

• Overall,thedaywaspeacefulwithonlyafewincidentsofunrest.

November9,1898

• EmboldenedbytheirElectionDayvictory,whitesmetattheWilmingtoncourthousethedayaftertheelectiontoplaceaseriesofdemandsontheAfricanAmericancommunity.

• Primaryamongthedemandsinthedocumentknownasthe“WhiteDeclarationofIndependence” wastheinstantremovalfromthecityofeditorAlexManlyandhisnewspaper.

• AdditionalresolutionscalledfortheresignationoftheMayorandChiefofPoliceofWilmington.WaddellwasnamedtoleadtheeffortofaCommitteeof25toeffectthedocument’sdemands.

“We,theundersignedcitizensoftheCityofWilmingtonandCountyofNewHanover,doherebydeclarethatwewillnolongerberuled,

andwillneveragainberuledbymenofAfricanorigin.”

PreambletotheWhiteDeclarationofIndependence.

“CommitteeofColoredCitizens”• ACommitteeofColoredCitizenswascalledtohearthedemandsofthewhiteson

theeveningofNovember9th.• Waddellpresidedatthemeetingwhichwasattendedbyapproximately25whites

and32AfricanAmericans.TheAfricanAmericansinattendancewereselectedbecausetheywereseenbywhitesasthepolitical,socialandreligiousleaderswhocouldeffectchange.

• Inresponse,theAfricanAmericanleadersdraftedaresponsewritteninhumblelanguagethatindicatedtheywoulddowhattheycouldtoavoidconflict,eventhoughtheyhadnorealabilitytoaffectthewidercommunity.

WethecoloredcitizenstowhomwasreferredthematterofexpulsionfromthiscommunityofthepersonandpressofA.L.Manlybegmostrespectfullytosaythatweareinnowiseresponsiblefornorinanywaycondonetheobnoxiousarticlethatcalledforthyouractions.Neitherareweauthorizedtoactforhiminthismatter;butintheinterestofpeace,wewillmostwillinglyuseourinfluencetohaveyourwishescarriedout.” ResponseoftheCommitteeofColoredCitizens

TheRiotBegins–WhiteSupremacistViolenceErupts

• Twodaysaftertheelection,onNov.10th,1989,violenceeruptedintowhatisnowknownasthe“WilmingtonRaceRiot.”

• WaddellhadscheduledameetingattheLightInfantryArmory,whereapproximately500whitemenassembled;atthemeetingitwasanticipatedthathewouldreceivetheresponsefromtheCommitteeofColoredCitizens.

• However,theirresponsehadnotarrivedandWaddellmadeuseofthecrowd’sfuror-- leadingaprocessionofmentoManly’s pressbuilding.

• WaddellleadthemtotheDailyRecordofficeseveralblocksaway.ThecrowdfollowingWaddellgrewtoabout2,000peopleastheymovedacrosstown.

• Themenproceededtobreakintothebuilding,destroytheprintingpressandburnthebuildingtotheground.

• ThewhitesdemandedthatManlyandhisnewspaperceasetopublishandthatManlybebannedfromthecommunity.

Afterthepresswasdestroyed,agroupofmenpausedforanewsphotographerinfrontofthebuilding.

ThisJustIn…BREAKINGNews!

• ImagineyouareatelevisionreporterstandinginfrontoftheWilmingtonDailyRecord’sofficeasthewhitemobisbeingphotographed.

• Preparea3-minutenewscastlivefromthescene,recappingwhathashappened.

• Yournewscastshouldincludeatleast6factsthatyou’velearnedthroughoutourdiscussiontoday.Youcanalsobecreative(i.e.pretendtointerviewsomeone)butyournewscastmustberealistictotheactualhistory.

• Writeoutyourscriptandbepreparedtodeliveryourreporttoclassmatesfirstthingtomorrow.

TheWilmingtonRaceRiot–ViolenceSpreads

• AfricanAmericansarmedthemselvesforprotectionandwhitesbegantohuntandgunthemdownthroughoutthecity.

• Themobofwhitesincludedclergymen,lawyers,bankers,andmerchantswhoallbelievedthattheywereassertingtheirrightsascitizens.

• AccordingtoonenativeWilmingtonhistorian,“Hellbrokeloose”ataround11:00AMneartheintersectionofFourthandHarnettStreetsinthepredominantlyAfricanAmericanBrooklyncommunity.

• Shotswerefiredatthisintersectionandseveralblackmenlaydeadorwounded.

• Afterthefirstshotswerefired,a“runningfirefight”eruptedinthestreetswitharmedmenofbothracesrushingtothescene.

• AwhiteresidentofBrooklyn,WillMayo,waswoundednearthesiteofthefirstgunshotsandmanywhitessoughttoavengehissufferingbyshootingatanyblackmanthatcrossedtheirpath.

• IncludedastargetswereagoodnumberofAfricanAmericanmenwhowereheadingtotheirhomesonlunchbreakorseekingtoensurethesafetyoflovedones.

• Beforeofficialscouldsuppresstheviolence,shotscontinuedtoringoutaroundManhattanPark,deepintheAfricanAmericancommunity,killingseveralmoreAfricanAmericans.

TheWilmingtonRaceRiot

AfencehadsurroundedManhattanParkbutwas“moweddown”byriflefire.Thedayaftertheriot,onewhiteparticipantwrotehisfuturewifethathewantedtotakehertoseethe“battle-scarred”treesandbuildingsinBrooklynwhenshereturnedtothecity.

TheWilmingtonRaceRiots-ACoupd’etatofWilmington’sLocalGovernment

• Asgunshotsechoedthroughthecity,WaddellandotherleaderssoughttheresignationsofWilmington’sMayorandBoardofAldermenat4:00intheafternoon.

• Waddellwasthen“elected”mayorbyanewBoardofAldermenwhohadbeenhand-pickedbyleadingDemocratstorunthecity.

• NotlongafterWaddellassumedpower,allblackemployeesorappointedofficerswerefiredorreplaced.

TheWilmingtonRaceRiot–BanishmentCampaign

• AnotherfacetoftheriotwasthatprominentAfricanAmericans–economic,religiousandpoliticalleaders– werearrested,jailed,andbanishedfromthecity.

• Thesemenwerepromisedthatreturningtotheirhomes,familiesandbusinesseswouldresultinphysicalharmand/ordeath.

BanishedAfricanAmericanleadersbeingmarchedtothetrainstationonNovember11th.

Wilmington’sChangingPopulation

WhiteBlack

White 5,526 6,888 8,731 10,556 13,267Black 7,920 10,462 11,324 10,407 12,107

1870 1880 1890 1900 1910

TheWilmingtonRaceRiots–InSummary,AFour-ProngedPlan

1. Stealtheelection.– Underthebannerofwhitesupremacy,theDemocraticPartyused

threats,intimidation,anti-blackpropagandaandstuffedballotboxestowinthestatewideelectionsonNov.8,1898.

2. Riot.– OnNov.10,armedwhitesattackedblacksandtheirproperty.

3. Stateacoup.– Astheriotunfolded,whiteleadersforcedthemayor,policechiefand

otherlocalleaderstoresignfromtheiroffices,placingthemselvesincharge.

4. Banishtheopposition.– Afterseizingpower,whitesremovedoppositionbybanishingtheir

mostableanddeterminedopponents,blackandwhite.

~Source:J.PederZane

TheWilmingtonRaceRiot–Aftermath

• Casualties– Whentheriotended,itwasreportedthattwenty-fiveAfricanAmericanshadbeenkilled.However,itwasstrongly

suspectedthathundredsofAfricanAmericanshadbeenkilledandtheirbodiesdumpedintotheriver.– Actualnumbersofdeadandwoundedhaveneverbeentalliedand,duetoinconclusiveevidence,adefinitivefigure

mayneverbedetermined.

• Banishment– Duringtheriotandimmediatelyafterward,hundredsofAfricanAmericansleftthecitytofindlesshostilehomesfor

theirfamiliesandbusinesses.

• Changesinworkforce– AfricanAmericanswhoremainedormovedtoWilmingtonfacedharshracismandareductioninpay.

• SuffrageAmendment(1900)– DemocratswontheGovernor’sofficein1900usingelectioncampaigntacticssimilartothosein1898Wilmington.– In1900DemocratsthenpassedaSuffrageAmendmenttotheNCStateConstitutionthatvirtuallyeliminatedAfrican

AmericanvotingrightsandperpetuatedsegregationthatlasteduntiltheCivilRightsmovementsofthe1950’sand60’s.

– TheNorthCarolinasuffrageamendment– keytothe1900campaign– heldagrandfatherclause– ifone’sfatherorgrandfathervotedpriorto1867,anilliteratepersoncouldvoteuntil1908andthenmustpassaliteracytest.

• DiscriminationAcrosstheCountry– TheUnitedStatesSupremeCourtupheldthe"separatebutequal"doctrineintheir1896Plessyv.Ferguson decision,

throwingthecountry'sHighCourtonthesideofwhitesupremacy.– Inthe1890s,startingwithMississippi,mostsouthernstatesbeganmoresystematicallytodisfranchiseblackmalesby

imposingvoterregistrationrestrictions,suchasliteracytests,polltaxes,andthewhiteprimary.– Raceriotsacrossthecountrytookplace,leavingscoresofbothwhitesandblacksdead.In1919alone,26riotstook

placeacrosstheUS.

Sources• News&Observer:“TheGhostsof1898,”specialfeaturebyTimTyson

• WilmingtonRaceRiotCommission:http://www.history.ncdcr.gov/1898-wrrc/

• WilmingtonRaceRiotPowerPointPresentation,byLeRaeS.Umfleet:http://www.history.ncdcr.gov/1898-wrrc/powerpoint/powerpoint.htm

• LearnNC:http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newsouth/8.0

• ImageSources:– http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/1898/sources/cartoons/0813.html– http://www.mith.umd.edu/courses/amvirtual/wilmington/herald1.html– http://www.mith.umd.edu/courses/amvirtual/wilmington/morningstar1.html