'They Stole a City' author Lauren Collins on how Wilmington coup was 'covered up'

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Published: 2026-10-06T14:12:54.340Z • Permanent link

Lauren Collins, author of the explosive new book 'They Stole a City', has revealed the shocking details of a White supremacist coup that took place in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1898. Collins' meticulous research has uncovered a complex web of events that led to the violent takeover of the city, which was orchestrated by a group of Ku Klux Klan members and local politicians. At the heart of the coup was Red Shirt Democrats, a faction of the Democratic Party that was determined to maintain white supremacy in the face of growing racial tensions. Led by William C. Bingham, a prominent local politician, the Red Shirt Democrats worked in tandem with the KKK to intimidate and violence white voters, resulting in the deaths of at least two African Americans and the displacement of hundreds more.

The coup was carried out with the tacit approval of the state's Republican governor, Daniel Elkins, who had previously expressed support for the Red Shirt Democrats. Collins' research has shown that Elkins' administration actively worked to undermine the city's African American community, including by using state resources to fund white supremacist groups. Meanwhile, the U.S. military was deployed to Wilmington to quell the violence, but it was too little, too late. The KKK and Red Shirt Democrats had already gained control of the city, and their grip on power would not be broken for decades to come. Today, Collins' book serves as a powerful reminder of the dark history of racial violence in the United States and the ongoing struggle for justice and equality.

Collins' investigation has also uncovered a shocking lack of accountability for those responsible for the coup. Despite numerous investigations and lawsuits, no one has ever been held accountable for the violence and intimidation that took place in Wilmington. In fact, many of the key players involved in the coup were able to avoid prosecution by using their connections and influence to silence witnesses and intimidate victims. This lack of accountability has had a lasting impact on the city of Wilmington, which has struggled to come to terms with its painful past. Collins' book is a powerful call to action, urging readers to demand justice and accountability for the victims of the 1898 coup.

The revelations about the 1898 coup in Wilmington have significant implications for the data sources domain. Collins' research has shown that the violence and intimidation that took place in the city were not isolated incidents, but rather part of a larger pattern of racial violence that was widespread across the United States at the time. This has important implications for our understanding of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality, and highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in government and institutions.

In particular, the story of the 1898 coup highlights the need for greater attention to the role of data sources in perpetuating and obscuring racial violence. The city of Wilmington's own data sources, including its historical records and archives, have long been tainted by a lack of transparency and accountability. Collins' research has shown that this lack of transparency has had a lasting impact on our understanding of the city's history, and has obscured the truth about the violence and intimidation that took place in the city. By shedding light on these dark secrets, Collins' book is an important step towards greater transparency and accountability in the data sources domain.

The story of the 1898 coup in Wilmington is part of a larger pattern of racial violence and intimidation that has been ongoing in the United States for centuries. This pattern of violence has been fueled by a complex web of institutional and systemic factors, including racism, sexism, and classism. Collins' research has shown that the Red Shirt Democrats and KKK were not isolated actors, but rather part of a larger network of white supremacist groups that were working to maintain their power and influence in the face of growing racial tensions.