Wilmington Holds 1898 Family Reunion and Healing Festival
The inaugural festival at the 1898 Memorial brought together vendors, historians, genealogists and descendants ahead of the massacre's anniversary.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Cultural
Community members gathered at the 1898 Memorial in downtown Wilmington on November 7, 2026, for the inaugural 1898 Family Reunion and Healing Festival, organized by Wilmington in Color and Coming to the Table. Historians and genealogists shared information about the 1898 Wilmington Massacre and Coup, and Yo-Yo Ma and Anthony Foxx visited the memorial.
Why it matters
The festival was held to remember the past, preserve local history and promote healing ahead of the anniversary of the 1898 Wilmington Massacre and Coup. It gives Wilmington residents and descendants a shared, public space to engage with that history.
The festival was held on November 7, 2026, at the 1898 Memorial, and a wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for November 10, 2026. Attendance totals and the full ceremony program have not been reported.
The players
Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma is a world-renowned cellist known for his wide-ranging collaborations and cultural advocacy.
Anthony Foxx
Anthony Foxx is a former U.S. Transportation Secretary who served under President Barack Obama and is a Charlotte native.
Wilmington in Color
Wilmington in Color is a local organization that works to document and share the African American history of Wilmington, North Carolina.
Coming to the Table
Coming to the Table is a national organization that brings together descendants of enslavers and enslaved people to address the legacy of slavery and racial injustice.
The details
Local vendors, historians, genealogists and families with ties to Wilmington's history took part in the festival at the 1898 Memorial. Visitors read the memorial's inscriptions as historians discussed the 1898 Wilmington Massacre and Coup.
Timeline
1898: The Wilmington Massacre and Coup occurred.
November 7, 2026: The inaugural 1898 Family Reunion and Healing Festival was held.
November 10, 2026: The anniversary of the massacre and coup, with a wreath-laying ceremony planned at the 1898 Memorial.
Cultural Context
The festival is a community-led commemoration of the 1898 Wilmington Massacre and Coup, an event whose legacy remains part of local public memory. Its anniversary observances, including the planned November 10 wreath-laying, place the festival within a continuing effort to address that history.
Residents and visitors can attend public commemorative events at the 1898 Memorial, including the planned November 10 wreath-laying ceremony. The memorial's inscriptions and historian-led discussions are open to the public as part of the festival format.
The takeaway
Attending commemorative events like this one offers a direct way to learn about Wilmington's 1898 history from historians, genealogists and descendants. Readers interested in the anniversary can plan to attend the November 10 wreath-laying at the 1898 Memorial.
What happens next
A wreath-laying ceremony is planned for November 10, 2026, at the 1898 Memorial to mark the anniversary of the massacre and coup.
Further reading
Explore more Wilmington cultural coverage to see how the city marks its history through community events.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WWAYTV3.
