The Wilmington insurrection of 1898 is a significant yet dark chapter in American history, representing the only instance in which a municipal government was violently overthrown in the United States. Set against a backdrop of rising racial tensions in the post-Reconstruction South, Wilmington was experiencing a demographic change, with a thriving African American middle class and a significant increase in political power for Black citizens. This advancement was met with vehement opposition from white supremacists who feared losing control. The situation escalated when white Democrats, feeling threatened by the progressive policies of the Fusionist government—comprised of Black and white Republicans—decided to take action.On November 10, 1898, after weeks of inflammatory rhetoric, white supremacists gathered in the streets of Wilmington. Equipped with rifles, they began to attack and burn down the offices of the local black-owned newspaper, the Daily Record. The violence quickly spread, resulting in the deaths of dozens of African Americans and forcing many others to flee the city. Former Confederate soldiers and members of the local Democratic Party led the assault, proudly declaring their intent to restore white supremacy. By the end of the day, they had established a new government in Wilmington, marked by the exclusion of Black citizens from the political process.The insurrection led to the establishment of Jim Crow laws in North Carolina and served as a template for similar activities across the South, profoundly influencing race relations. The new regime quickly reverted the rights of Black citizens, undermined numerous social and political gains made during Reconstruction, and set a precedent for racial violence and oppression that would last for decades.