The Wilmington Ten: Violence, Injustice, and The Rise of Black Politics in The 1970s
The Wilmington Ten: Violence, Injustice, and The Rise of Black Politics in The 1970s
- Date:
- Saturday, May 21, 2022
- Time:
- 3:00pm - 5:00pm
- Location:
- Main Auditorium
- Location:
- Main Library
- Audience:
- Adult Emerging Adult: 18-24 Year Olds Senior Citizen Teen
- Categories:
- Author Visit Humanities
In February 1971, racial tension surrounding school desegregation in Wilmington, North Carolina, culminated in four days of violence and skirmishes between white vigilantes and black residents. The turmoil resulted in two deaths, six injuries, more than $500,000 in damage, and the firebombing of a white-owned store, before the National Guard restored uneasy peace. Despite glaring irregularities in the subsequent trial, ten young persons were convicted of arson and conspiracy and then sentenced to a total of 282 years in prison. They became known internationally as the Wilmington Ten. A powerful movement arose within North Carolina and beyond to demand their freedom, and after several witnesses admitted to perjury, a federal appeals court, also citing prosecutorial misconduct, overturned the convictions in 1980.
Join Durham County Library for a lecture by Dr. Kenneth R. Janken on his book about the case of The Wilmington Ten, civil rights struggles in the 1970s, and their relevance for North Carolina today. Copies of the book are available in hardcover and digital formats at the library.