Wilmington Ten

The Wilmington Ten were nine young African American men and one white woman falsely accused of arson and conspiracy in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1971. Their arrest was tied to efforts to challenge racial segregation and support school desegregation. After a trial filled with irregularities and alleged misconduct, they were convicted and served several years in prison. Many believe they were targeted because of their activism and race. In 2012, the state officially exonerated them, acknowledging their innocence and the unjustness of their original convictions. Their case highlighted issues of racial injustice and the fight for civil rights.