American Experience - Season 36 - Eps 7: American Coup: Wilmington 1898
American Coup: Wilmington 1898 tells the little-known story of a deadly race massacre and carefully orchestrated insurrection in North Carolina’s largest city — the only successful coup d’état in the history of the US. Stoking fears of “Negro Rule,” self-described white supremacists used intimidation and violence to destroy Black political and economic power and overthrow Wilmington’s democratically-elected, multi-racial government. Many Black residents were murdered, and thousands were banished. The story of what happened in Wilmington was suppressed for decades until descendants and scholars began to investigate. Today, many of those descendants — Black and white — are seeking the truth behind this intentionally buried history.
About American Experience

Title: American Experience
First Air Date: 1988-10-04
Last Air Date: 2025-03-31
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 7.4/10 (from 36 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 38
Total Episodes: 397
Network: PBS
Genres: Documentary
Production Companies: GBH
Synopsis
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.