Remembering a White supremacist coup (The Reveal podcast)

On the eve of a contentious election, Reveal looks back to the nearly forgotten election of 1898 in Wilmington, North Carolina, where a coup d’etat gave birth to much of the structural racism that exists today. 

First, we learn that in the late 19th century, Wilmington was a city where African Americans thrived economically and held elected office. This, however, did not sit well with White supremacists, who plotted to retake control of the city.

The story continues with accounts of violence against Black voters on Election Day 1898 and the subsequent overthrow of the local government. We then explore how the Wilmington coup provided a blueprint for the Jim Crow South and continues to influence issues of race to this day.

We end with a story from Reveal’s Will Carless about an organization called the Public Interest Legal Foundation, which for almost a decade has perpetuated false claims of widespread voter fraud in U.S. elections.

Interview: 

https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/remembering-a-white-supremacist-coup/