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How white supremacists staged the only successful coup in U.S. history

In 1898, Wilmington, N.C., was a prosperous integrated city, where Black and white North Carolinians shared political power and leadership positions. But white supremacists took back control of the city's multi-racial government at gunpoint, and launched a wave of violence that killed scores of Blac

Published July 12, 2026, 1:17 PM
Updated July 12, 2026, 1:32 PM4.8K
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How white supremacists staged the only successful coup in U.S. history

In 1898, Wilmington, N.C., was a prosperous integrated city, where Black and white North Carolinians shared political power and leadership positions. But white supremacists took back control of the city's multi-racial government at gunpoint, and launched a wave of violence that killed scores of Black residents. That little-known history is the subject of The New Yorker journalist Lauren Collins' new book, "They Stole a City." She talks with Lee Cowan about her hometown's darkest chapter – the only successful coup in our nation's history.

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