Wilmington on Fire
April 5–19 | programmed with the Police Violence SymposiumWilmington on Fire
April 5–19 | programmed with the Police Violence SymposiumThis event occurred as part of the 20/21 Hop Film season. This is an archived view.
This documentary unpacks the truth behind the little-known 1898 Wilmington Massacre, the only successful coup d'etat on American soil.
20/21 Hop FilmThe Police Violence Symposium (April 5–11) is an international conference featuring 50+ artists, activists, alumni, students and scholars exploring this complex, global and urgent issue. Register for the Symposium for full access and session information. Register for Free >
Rosewood has long been infamous, but Wilmington came first and was even more devastating in its effects. In 1898, Wilmington was North Carolina's largest city, with a majority black population, a thriving black middle class, and a biracial Republican-Populist fusion government. On November 10, an armed mob of Democrat-backed white supremacists opened fire on African-American neighborhoods, slaughtering hundreds and driving thousands out of the city for good. They overthrew the existing government and left a city in tatters for decades. The events became a hidden part of the city's past, this incident has been barely mentioned and has been omitted from most history books.
In a five-year passion project that consumed all his resources, director Christopher Everett amassed rare photographs, original research and testimonies from historians and descendants of the victims to uncover a shocking event that marked a turning point in the politics of the post-Reconstruction South. D: Christopher Everett, US, 2015, 1h29m
Director Christopher Everett is participating in a panel discussion on Wed, Apr 7 entitled: "Police Violence, White Supremacy, and the Capitol Insurrection: Historical Precedents, Current Responses, and Future Implications."
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