The Wilmington massacre and coup of 1898 was the only successful violent overthrow of a democratically elected government in the history of the United States. In 2000, the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission was formed to investigate the events of 1898 and make recommendations for the city to restore justice and move forward. In 2006, the commission published a report with 15 recommendations. While some steps have been taken, many of the commission's most pressing recommendations have still not been followed.

Below are the key remaining unfulfilled recommendations of the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission. Please note, the use of the term race riot is inaccurate and has been used to blame the black community equally for the violence of 1898. This term has been replaced with "coup and massacre" in the following recommendations.

• Establish a Restructuring and Development Authority including local leadership to supervise implementation of a strategic vision funded through an endowment, supported by federal, state and local governments, as well as media and businesses, especially those which benefited from the consequences of 1898.
• Support judicial redress to compensate heirs of victims.
• Provide incentives for business development of areas impacted by the Wilmington coup and massacre of 1898.
• Increase minority home ownership in impacted areas
• Incorporate the 1898 events into Department of Public Instruction curriculum learning expectations; develop appropriate grade-level curriculum materials, and provide teacher workshops for effectively integrating the materials into instruction. [Note: the massacre is now mentioned in the state curriculum, but adequate materials and teacher workshops have not been provided.]
• Increase support for tutoring and mentoring programs in New Hanover County, targeting at-risk youth.
• Provide additional funding for the New Hanover County Public Library to make resources available relative to 1898 and its impact.

Although not recommended by the original commission, it is now clear that we must remove from public parks and schools the names of the men who planned and incited the violence of 1898. We cannot move forward while still honoring these men in our public spaces.

• Rename Hugh MacRae Park, which is named for one of the so-called Secret Nine who planned the massacre and coup.
• Rename Walter L. Parsley Elementary School, also named for one of the Secret Nine.