March 22,1984
Black Ink
Page 3
NS • OP
Black Press sparked
Wilmington race riot
By Kevin E. Washington
The Black Press has always been
an instrumental organ in the black
community bringing black citizens
information not usually covered by
the white press.
Since the first publication of
Freedom's Journal, the first black
newspaper in the country in 1827,
several hundred black newspapers
have championed the rights of -.^the
black man, helping him to move
from slave status to that of citizen.
During the 1890s, the black press
became a part of a raging debate
about the new generation of non
slaves. White scholars had come to
view the black population as a
retrogressing one, not socially or
culturally fit to be in charge of itself
much less white people.
As the effects of Congressional
Reconstruction began to wear off,
the old southern white Democrats
began to make power plays to secure
the government offices that had
been taken from them after the Civil
War
In Wilmington, the first con
spicuous race riot of the era of black
disfranchisement took place in 1898.
Although the white Democrats who
took over were out for political gain
in Wilmington, they focused on an
editorial written by a black news
paper editor in the city.
By focusing on the black press, the
Democrats knew that they could ef
fectively silence one of the loudest
dissenting voices against their future
rule and destroy any real opposition
from the black community.
The Wilmington riot of 1898
basically took place because of the
defeats of Democrats in the elections
of 1896 and 1897. Fusionists
Republicans and Populist party
members who had joined forces to
get black votes and win elections,
were running the state at the time
Wilmington had a strong fusion
government because the city was 58
percent black.
In addition to helping the Fusion
ists control the city politically, black
voters had also elected four black
aldermen out of the ten aldermen
seated. Five other black men also
held office within the city govern
ment.
Wilmington's Democratic inhabi
tants resented the black office
holders and made several emotional
appeals to citizens across the state as
well as in the city by starting rumors
that black men and women were
rude to whites in the streets and
acted like animals in public.
A group of nine white Democrats
began to plan the November race
riot in January, 1898. The group
which called itself the “Secret Nine"
did not openly oppose the city of
ficials for fear of retaliation, so very
few citizens knew what was going to
happen in the coming months.
The Democrats also tried to use
the lynching of black men, which had
risen astronomically since 1889, as
propaganda. Racist white scholars of
the day maintained that the "New
Negro," was a subhuman animal and
should be punished for his wrong do
ings by lynching. The rest of the
country was killing and disfranchis
ing blacks, so why couldn't Wilmin-
ton do it also, the Democrats said.
The premise of the black beast
rapist and the women's suffrage
movement had been fused earlier by
Atlanta Journal writer Rebecca
Latimer Felton in her famous speech
to the Georgia Agricultural Society
at Tybee, Georgia, in 1896. She said
that not only was black rape of white
women on the increase, but white
men were partially responsible for its
increase. Felton stated that white
farmers left their wives unprotected,
thus giving the black beasts the op
portunity to rape their women.
On August 8, 1898, almost two
years after the Tybee speech by
continued on pg. 8
m
ACKLAND ART MUSEUM
"American Graphics: 1860-1940," a collection of prints from more than eight
decades of American printmaking, will be on view until March 25. The
Ackland's permanent and temporary exhibitions are open to the public 10
a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 2-6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. For more
information, call (919) 966-5736.
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
The Fifth Annual Black Experience Workshop: Implications for Social Work
Education and Practice will be held Friday, March 23,1984 at the Carolina Stu
dent Union. For more information, write to:
Audreye E. Johnson
The Black Experience
School of Social Work
223 E. Franklin St. 150A
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514
CHUCK MANGIONE
"An Evening with Chuck Mangione and the Chuck Mangione Quartet" will
be presented Saturday, March 24 at 8 p.m. in Memorial Hall. For more informa
tion call the Union Box Office at 962-1449. This is a Carolina Union Program.
MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM
"Skyways," a show exploring how the real and apparent motions and
changes in the heavens affect our everyday lives, will run through March 26.
Shows are weeknights at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 11 a.m., 1, 3 and 8 p.m.; Sundays
at 2, 3 and 8 p.m. There is an admission fee for all shows. Call (919) 962-1236 for
information.
BRUCE BENNETT
Bruce Bennett, a professor and author, will speak on "The World University
Games, the Olympic Games, and International Sports." This lecture will begin
at 7:30 p.m. on March 27, in 109 Fetzer Gymnasium. For more information,
please contact Dr Angela Lumpkin at 962-2021.
Black Ink Staff: Front Row (L-R) Darlene Campbell, Marjorie Roach, Gwen Hailey (83-84 Editor) Cheryl
Srriith, Albertina Smith (84-85 Editor). BacK Row: (L-R) Jackie Leach, Rttpnda Hubbard, Winfred
Cross,'Angie^a,^^ery^ Delp'atch, JoyJhor^pson. Photob^.Dei^i^e^/ylp.ulfrie,
1983-84 McNAIR LECTURE
ON
SCIENCE AND RELIGION
DR. A. R. PEACOCKE
“THE DISGUISED FRIEND-
Darwinism and Divinity"
MARCH 29, 1984
8:00 PM
HAMILTON HALL
Sponsored By
The Chancellor's Gommittee on Established Lectures