During the 1890s, Wilmington, North Carolina was a fast-growing port city. However, in November of 1898, Wilmington was the site of a racial insurrection that attempted to overthrow the results of a legitimate federal election. This violent insurrection, led by white supremacists, resulted in the deaths of dozens (some estimates went as high as 300) of African-Americans, the destruction of African-American homes and businesses, and drove African-Americans out of state and local government.

This gave the Democratic Party the majority in the North Carolina General Assembly and paved the way for the state to pass legislation that disenfranchised (limited the right to vote) African-Americans and instituted segregationist laws.

Interactive map of the events of the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot (North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources information page)

The city of Wilmington, whose population was around 60% African-American in the 1880s, saw a large flight of families leaving the city following this insurrection. Today, African-Americans make up less than 20% of the city's population.