Home State Publications 1898 Wilmington race riot report - Page 215
1898 Wilmington race riot report
1898 Wilmington race riot report - Page 215
Also assisting in the post riot
jubilation were Wilmington's white women,
who had been supporting their husbands as
they marched on nightly patrols and
attended white supremacy meetings. The
women, dressed in white gowns, had
participated in the pre- election parades,
prepared coffee for their block guards while
on patrol, and maintained their support for
their husbands in trying times. After troops
began to arrive in the city, Wilmington's
women became hostesses to out- of- town
guard units and reporters. The most visible
support by the white women of the city was
the effort to feed the soldiers in town for the
riot. Mrs. Thomas C. James, wife of the
WLI's captain, oversaw the
accommodations and provisions for the
visiting military companies. Mrs. Edward
Wootten wrote her son that she had been at
the armory washing dishes while the
military was in town and that the men ate in
the armory yard at long tables as the ladies
waited on them. She served food for three
days, declaring " you never saw so many
dishes to be washed and then they were
needed for more men before we could get
them washed." 97 Harry Hayden, writing
decades later, praised the women who had
remained at home without protection while
their men were out in the fray and then
stepped into action to feed the men:
"[ C] offee was prepared in 50- pound lard
cans, buckwheat cakes with plenty of butter
and stacked high on large platters, and fried
ham and eggs and bacon and sausage were
served the guardsmen in bountiful supply by
the housewives." 98 On the day of the riot,
the WLI was marched on patrols around
town. J. D. Nutt's unit was taken by wagon
to Frank Maunder's home at 624 North
Fourth Street, where Mrs. Nutt " gave us
97 Mrs. Wootten to Edward, November 21, 1898,
Wootten Papers, University of North Carolina at
Wilmington Library.
98 Hayden, WLI, 105.
something good to eat." 99 In response to
the activities of the city's women to feed the
troops, the Maxton Guards posted a letter in
the newspaper thanking the ladies for their
" kind and considerate attention" to the needs
of the men while in the city. 100 Afterward,
one woman wrote to the Star to ask the
paper to print the names of the men who
" volunteered to preserve the peace on
Thursday night." The paper responded that
the compilation of such a list would be the
equivalent of the white city directory. 101
Repayment for Services Rendered
Waddell and the city's leaders were
overwhelmed by men within the city
requesting appointment to the police force,
firefighting units, or other positions in return
for their support of the campaign. 102
Attempts were made to make good on the
promises of hiring white laborers instead of
blacks. There were, however, problems
related to the exclusion of highly qualified
African Americans in favor of lesser
experienced whites who whites did not have
the educational background or experience
necessary to fill clerical public positions. 103
The Wilmington Messenger reminded city
leaders of their promises to followers two
days after the fighting ended when a writer
observed in its pages that the " white
laboring men in this city have not been
treated fairly in the past." The article
objected to hiring black laborers when
99 " Minutes of the Association of the WLI," North
Carolina Collection.
100 Morning Star ( Wilmington), November 16, 1898.
102 " Quite a number of applications for various city
offices were handed in to the Board but action was
deferred." It was a pact between the leaders and the
followers that after the election and coup, those who
were most loyal and of greatest service to the
Democratic cause would be repaid. Morning Star
( Wilmington), November 15, 1898.
103 Prather, We Have Taken a City, 144.
Title 1898 Wilmington race riot report
Other Title Wilmington race riot report
Creator North Carolina. 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission.
Contributor Umfleet, LeRae.
North Carolina. Office of Archives and History. Research Branch.
Subjects Wilmington Race Riot, Wilmington, N.C., 1898
Riots--North Carolina--Wilmington--History--19th century
African Americans--North Carolina--Wilmington--History--19th century
African Americans--North Carolina--Wilmington--Economic conditions--19th century
Wilmington (N.C.)--Race relations
Wilmington (N.C.)--History--19th century
Minorities--North Carolina
Place Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States
Description Cover title.; "LeRae Umfleet, principal researcher."; "May 31, 2006."; Includes bibliographical references (p. 494-507). 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission.
Publisher Research Branch, Office of Archives and History, N.C. Dept. of Cultural Resources
Agency-Current North Carolina Office of Archives and History, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Physical Characteristics [480] p. : ill., maps ; 28 cm.
Digital Characteristics-A 22 MB; 507 p.
Related Items Also available via the World Wide Web in PDF.; http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/1898-wrrc/default.htm; http://worldcat.org/oclc/69665877/viewonline
Pres File Name-M pubs_wilmingtonraceriot31052006.pdf-pubs_wilmingtonraceriot31052006_businesses_1900.pdf; Total of 35 files
Title 1898 Wilmington race riot report - Page 215
Full Text 190 Also assisting in the post riot jubilation were Wilmington's white women, who had been supporting their husbands as they marched on nightly patrols and attended white supremacy meetings. The women, dressed in white gowns, had participated in the pre- election parades, prepared coffee for their block guards while on patrol, and maintained their support for their husbands in trying times. After troops began to arrive in the city, Wilmington's women became hostesses to out- of- town guard units and reporters. The most visible support by the white women of the city was the effort to feed the soldiers in town for the riot. Mrs. Thomas C. James, wife of the WLI's captain, oversaw the accommodations and provisions for the visiting military companies. Mrs. Edward Wootten wrote her son that she had been at the armory washing dishes while the military was in town and that the men ate in the armory yard at long tables as the ladies waited on them. She served food for three days, declaring " you never saw so many dishes to be washed and then they were needed for more men before we could get them washed." 97 Harry Hayden, writing decades later, praised the women who had remained at home without protection while their men were out in the fray and then stepped into action to feed the men: "[ C] offee was prepared in 50- pound lard cans, buckwheat cakes with plenty of butter and stacked high on large platters, and fried ham and eggs and bacon and sausage were served the guardsmen in bountiful supply by the housewives." 98 On the day of the riot, the WLI was marched on patrols around town. J. D. Nutt's unit was taken by wagon to Frank Maunder's home at 624 North Fourth Street, where Mrs. Nutt " gave us 97 Mrs. Wootten to Edward, November 21, 1898, Wootten Papers, University of North Carolina at Wilmington Library. 98 Hayden, WLI, 105. something good to eat." 99 In response to the activities of the city's women to feed the troops, the Maxton Guards posted a letter in the newspaper thanking the ladies for their " kind and considerate attention" to the needs of the men while in the city. 100 Afterward, one woman wrote to the Star to ask the paper to print the names of the men who " volunteered to preserve the peace on Thursday night." The paper responded that the compilation of such a list would be the equivalent of the white city directory. 101 Repayment for Services Rendered Waddell and the city's leaders were overwhelmed by men within the city requesting appointment to the police force, firefighting units, or other positions in return for their support of the campaign. 102 Attempts were made to make good on the promises of hiring white laborers instead of blacks. There were, however, problems related to the exclusion of highly qualified African Americans in favor of lesser experienced whites who whites did not have the educational background or experience necessary to fill clerical public positions. 103 The Wilmington Messenger reminded city leaders of their promises to followers two days after the fighting ended when a writer observed in its pages that the " white laboring men in this city have not been treated fairly in the past." The article objected to hiring black laborers when 99 " Minutes of the Association of the WLI," North Carolina Collection. 100 Morning Star ( Wilmington), November 16, 1898. 101 Morning Star ( Wilmington), November 15, 1898. 102 " Quite a number of applications for various city offices were handed in to the Board but action was deferred." It was a pact between the leaders and the followers that after the election and coup, those who were most loyal and of greatest service to the Democratic cause would be repaid. Morning Star ( Wilmington), November 15, 1898. 103 Prather, We Have Taken a City, 144.