In an NPR interview, Lauren Collins discusses “They Stole a City,” her account of Wilmington’s 1898 white supremacist massacre

On July 14, NPR’s Michel Martin interviewed writer Lauren Collins about her book “They Stole a City,” which recounts the 1898 white supremacist massacre in Wilmington, North Carolina, and examines its lasting effects. The conversation, published by NPR Culture, frames the book as both a historical narrative and an examination of what the violence changed for the people who lived through it and for the community afterward.

Collins’ book centers on the events of 1898 in Wilmington, where white supremacists carried out attacks during a period marked by political and racial conflict, according to NPR’s description. In the interview, Collins discusses how the violence was not only physical, but also tied to efforts to seize control of civic power and reshape life in the city, reflected in the book’s title.

Martin and Collins also address how such episodes are remembered, including the ways the story has been documented, circulated, and debated over time. NPR’s account of the interview emphasizes that Collins is concerned with both the immediate impact of the massacre and the longer-term consequences that followed, positioning the book as an attempt to connect historical details to broader outcomes for families and institutions.

The interview format highlights Collins’ approach to writing history for a general audience, using narrative structure to convey what happened in 1898 while also turning to the social and political aftermath. NPR’s description underscores that the book is presented as a comprehensive account, rather than a brief retelling, of the massacre and its repercussions in Wilmington.

While the NPR piece focuses on the book and the author’s discussion, it also reflects a wider media moment in which publishers and broadcasters continue to devote prominent coverage to historical works tied to racial violence and its aftermath. By treating the subject as both history and culture, NPR’s interview brings attention to how books can influence public understanding of past events.

For readers looking for a starting point, NPR’s publication date offers a timely marker: the interview was released on July 14, 2026. The next step for audiences is to consult “They Stole a City” directly for the book-length account, including the specific narrative and documentation Collins uses to describe the 1898 attacks and their effects.

As the coverage circulates, the book’s reception will likely hinge on readers’ ability to connect the historical record to the present-day conversation about civic memory and accountability, topics Collins and Martin address in NPR’s summary. Beyond discussion, the practical effect is straightforward, the interview functions as a cultural distribution channel for a work centered on a heavily documented but still contested chapter of Wilmington’s history.