Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy

Book 2 describes the conception and implementation of the White Supremacy Campaign in North Carolina. After the implementation of Black suffrage in North Carolina, Black voters helped the Republican party (the party of Lincoln) win the state legislature in 1868. The Conservative Party won it back in 1870.

In 1876, the Conservative Party renamed itself the Democrat Party and won more political seats. They used their power to roll back Black political power in the state. However, by 1890, the Democrat Party was faltering due to an economic downturn and an alliance between the Republicans and the white Populists known as the Fusion. In 1894, the Fusionists won control of the North Carolina legislature. By 1897, Fusionists held important positions in Wilmington and Black men were given important roles.

Democrats were appalled at the expansion of Black political power. Two Democrat leaders, Josephus Daniels and Furnifold Simmons, met in March 1898 to plan an end to Black power and a restoration of Democrats in the November 1898 elections. This strategy was soon after formally named the White Supremacy Campaign.

Daniels was a newspaperman who owned and ran the State Chronicle and the Raleigh News and Observer papers which he used to promote white supremacy and Democrat policies.