Exploring Life in 1898 Wilmington & the Wilmington Coup with CROW, a novel for young adults

Exploring Life in 1898 Wilmington & the Wilmington Coup with CROW, a novel for young adults

CROW, a novel for young adults by Barbara Wright, is an excellent way to engage students in learning about the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot and related themes such as slavery, Jim Crow, democracy, the rule of law, overcoming adversity, and more. Written from the perspective of 12-year-old Moses Thomas, the novel gives students a personal perspective of the thriving African American community of Wilmington and how its rights and freedoms were violently challenged in the only successful coup d’état in US history.

To access the accompanying PPT, click here.

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Essential Questions: 
What were Jim Crow laws? What types of consequences did African Americans and otherminorities risk when breaking one of these laws or expectations?
Why was Wilmington, NC, considered a symbol of ‘black hope’ in the late 19th century?
What were the events of the 1898 coup in Wilmington, NC?
How did the existence of Jim Crow enablethe Wilmington Race Riot to occur?
What impact did propaganda and gang mentality have on the unfolding of 1898 events?
What does CROW highlight regarding slavery, Jim Crow, democracy, the rule of law, and the Wilmington coup?
How are the characters in CROW impacted by the 1898 Race Riot?
How did the events of 1898 impact African American progress?