WILMINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- Historian Larry Thomas was born and raised in Wilmington. But it took decades for him to learn the truth about a violent chapter in the history of his hometown and North Carolina. Before his college years, he never learned details about what happened there in 1898. But there were whispers. Wasnt anything concrete but growing up in Wilmington, I knew that there was something wrong with the place, he said. Couldnt put my finger on it. Black folks seemed to be apprehensive about hanging out with White folks. He then shared what his graduate school research uncovered.