In 1898, Wilmington, North Carolina was the scene of what many describe as the only successful coup d' etat in the history of the United States, when angry whites overthrew the duly elected government and went on a rampage that tore through the African-American community of the state's largest city. The terror lasted several days, and saw Wilmington blacks gunned down in the streets, forced out of town, and disposessed of their property. In this reprint of a book first released in 1984, H. Leon Prather, Sr. presents the story of what happened in Wilmington. It is generally considered the most balanced account of the 1898 riots, and tells the story of what happened in a thoroughly researched book that has been hailed as a landmark resource on the subject. The State of North Carolina will issue its official report on what happened in Wilmington in 1898 in 2006, and Prather's book is a primary source for the official history that is soon to be released. Prather's book is a must-have for those interested in the history of African-Americans during Reconstruction, the history of the South, North Carolina, and the Lower Cape Fear region.