In 1898, Wilmington, North Carolina, witnessed an event that defies the common labels of “civil unrest” or “riot.” What happened was a carefully planned and executed coup that violently removed a legitimately elected, multiracial government. This remains the only successful coup in United States history. Understanding this event sheds light on how democracy can be dismantled when it challenges entrenched power, and how language can be used to erase responsibility for such act