< Previous page

James Leloudis, who teaches post-Civil War history at UNC-Chapel Hill, called the 1898 massacre "a tragic moment that circumscribes and limits the possibilities of the state and the region for decades to come."

Frank Daniels Jr., grandson of Josephus Daniels and a former N&O publisher, praised the work as well-written, though he wished it had put the events in more context. His grandfather was progressive in many respects, Daniels said, if not on race -- "nobody was."

"The hard thing in the story was to convey the fact this was 100 years ago, and what was a norm in those days would be totally unacceptable today," he said.

Some readers questioned the selection of Tyson to write the account. Prize-winning author of the civil rights memoir "Blood Done Sign My Name," Tyson is an outspoken social justice advocate who acknowledges strong views on the South's racist past. Steve Riley, the N&O editor who oversaw the project, said Tyson was chosen in part because of those credentials. "The reason we wanted someone from the outside was because it was going to be all about The N&O," he said. The account was edited by N&O editors for length and structure, but Tyson had final say over matters of content. Riley said he was most pleased with Tyson's ability to show why the history mattered. "I think the strength and power of Tim's story is to explain why buried history is dangerous," he said.

One lesson: that history is alive -- race can be used as a trump card to move voters, as was done with chilling effectiveness during the Jesse Helms era and as recently as this year in the Tennessee Senate race. As Leloudis said, "If we don't do this (revisit history), we rob ourselves of the capability of imagining alternatives in our own time."

Surprising to me, there was not a large response to "Ghosts of 1898," given its controversial nature and the prominent display over three days in The N&O. Most comments I heard were positive, and negative reaction related mostly to the recommendation of the Race Riot Commission that reparations be paid to descendants of Wilmington victims. "Ghosts of 1898" barely mentioned the idea, and Tyson told me he doesn't support reparations, except perhaps in a broad way to improve education and voting rights.

After the special section was published, I received a voice message from Raleigh reader Ruby Hinson saying, "I just don't understand the reason for it now, when we are struggling so for some reconciliation between the whites and blacks. To me, this seems like it's just stoking the fires of those old resentments and emotions and hatreds."

But when I called Hinson back, she'd had second thoughts. "I'm trying to get more perspective on it and I'm trying to maintain good will toward all mankind."

I don't think we could ask for more.

< Previous page

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.