Wilmington’s Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy 
In Conversation With Author David Zucchino 

Moderator Daniel Barrett and David Zucchino, winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize, discuss ways dominant groups often prevail over historical narratives, and the importance of delving into primary sources to uncover truths about events that have been misconstrued, or entirely forgotten.

In Wilmington’s Lie, Zucchino weaves a gripping and compelling narrative that uncovers the truth about a violent and forgotten chapter of American history, an 1898 riot and coup in Wilmington, North Carolina. The uprising rolled back post-Civil War gains made by Black people and cemented white rule for another half century.

The events of 1898 came to be known as a “race riot”, but Zucchino looked closer at this time period, delving into contemporary newspaper accounts, diaries, letters and official communications. His compelling work uncovers the truth and demonstrates how the events of 1898 were actually a racially motivated rebellion launched by white supremacists who were seeking to reverse advances made by Black people during and after Reconstruction.   

This virtual webinar will be hosted via Zoom.  Registered participants will receive an invitation with link prior to the program. Please include a cell phone number to receive text reminder.

About the Author:

David Zucchino is a contributing writer for The New York Times. He has covered wars and civil conflicts in more than two dozen countries. Zucchino was twice awarded the Pulitzer Prize, for his dispatches from apartheid South Africa and for Wilmington’s Lie. A five-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, he is also the author of Thunder Run and Myth of the Welfare Queen.

About the Moderator:

Dr. Daniel W. Barrett is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Western Connecticut State University. A resident of Redding, he graduated with a BA from Wesleyan University, earned his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Arizona State University and served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Health Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Conversations: Truth, Myth & Democracy is a series of programs co-sponsored by Redding’s League of Women Voters and The Mark Twain Library. Winner of the 2022 Connecticut Library Association’s Award for Excellence in Public Library Service, the series continues the community conversation on issues of race, justice and democracy.