
Alexander (or Alex) Lightfoot Manly (May 13, 1866– October 5, 1944) was an newspaper owner and editor who lived in
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States.
With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is t ...
.
With his brother, Frank G. Manly, as co-owner, he published the ''Daily Record'', the state's only daily African-American newspaper and possibly the nation's only black-owned daily newspaper. At the time, the port of Wilmington had 10,000 residents and was the state's largest city; its population was majority black, with a rising middle class.
In August 1898 Manly published a controversial editorial objecting to stereotypes of black men as rapists of white women. He had earlier responded to a
Rebecca Latimer Felton
Rebecca Ann Felton (née Latimer; June 10, 1835 – January 24, 1930) was an American writer, lecturer, feminist, suffragist, reformer, slave owner, and politician who was the first woman to serve in the United States Senate, although she serv ...
in Georgia who wrote about African-American males having relationships with white women. At the time, white Democrats were inflaming racial tensions and promoting
white supremacy
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White s ...
in a bid to regain power in the state legislature. They had lost control in the 1894 and 1896 elections to
"fusion" candidates supported by a Republican and
Populist
Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term develope ...
coalition; these voters also elected Republican
Daniel L. Russell
Daniel Lindsay Russell Jr. (August 7, 1845May 14, 1908) was the 49th Governor of North Carolina, serving from 1897 to 1901. An attorney, judge, and politician, he had also been elected as state representative and to the United States Congress, ...
as governor in 1896. When biracial fusionist candidates were elected to Wilmington's mayor and council, a secret committee of Democrats conducted the only successful ''
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, ...
'' in United States history, now known as the
Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
The Wilmington insurrection of 1898, also known as the Wilmington massacre of 1898 or the Wilmington coup of 1898, was a coup d'état and massacre carried out by white supremacists in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, on Thursday, Nove ...
, and overturned the city government. They also ran the Manly brothers out of town, threatening their lives; a large mob destroyed the printing press and burned down the newspaper offices; out of control, it also attacked black neighborhoods, killing an estimated 30-100 people and destroying much of what
freedmen
A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), abolitionism, emancipation (gra ...
had built in the city.
The Manly brothers were among the 2,100 blacks who permanently moved out of Wilmington after the riot, resulting in its becoming a majority-white city. The brothers moved briefly to Washington, DC, helped by former Congressman
George Henry White
George Henry White (December 18, 1852 – December 28, 1918) was an American attorney and politician, elected as a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 2nd congressional district between 1897 and 1901. He later became a banker ...
. He had moved to the city permanently after North Carolina passed legislation in 1899 to disenfranchise blacks in the state. Alex married Caroline Sadgwar at his house. Alex Manly and his wife moved to
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, where they had a family. (Frank Manly moved to Alabama and taught at
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature.
The campus was ...
.) Alex Manly had to support his family as a painter, but remained politically active; he helped found The Armstrong Association, a precursor to the
National Urban League
The National Urban League, formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan historic civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of economic and social justice for African Am ...
, and was a member of the African-American newspaper council.
Early life
Alexander Lightfoot Manly, called "Alex," was born in 1866 in
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the South ...
. Both of his parents were of mixed ancestry: his father was a
freedman
A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), emancipation (granted freedom ...
who, like many African Americans, possessed African and European ancestry, while his mother was a
free woman of color of mixed European and African ancestry. Through his father's paternal line, Manly was a descendant of Governor
Charles Manly
Charles Manly (May 13, 1795May 1, 1871) was a lawyer who served as the 31st governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1849 to 1851. He was the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office. After one two-year term, Manly was de ...
and Corinne Manly, who was enslaved by the Governor. Among his siblings were brothers Frank G. and much younger Thomas Manly.
After attending local schools, Alex Manly attended
Hampton University
Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missionary Association a ...
, a
historically black college
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. M ...
in Virginia. He later moved to Wilmington, where he taught Sunday school at
Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church Warren Memorial Presbyterian Church was a Presbyterian congregation formerly located in what is now downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
History
The church was incorporated under the name Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church on February 25, 1848. In 1875 ...
.
Professional career
In 1895, Manly became the owner and editor of the ''
Wilmington Daily Record,'' the only daily African-American newspaper in the state and possibly the nation. He shared ownership with his brother Frank G. Manly. The progressive newspaper was for blacks in the Wilmington community, and it was heralded as "The Only Negro Daily in the World".
[Miller 1991] The ''Daily Record'' advocated for black civil rights, better health-care, roads, and bicycle paths. Its success attracted white advertisers, and the newspaper and its editors were well respected in Wilmington.
Political background
Wilmington then had a majority-black population. Statewide, the Republican Party had mostly black members. In 1894 and 1896, the state had three active parties: fusion candidates of the allied Republican and Populist parties (which were respectively composed of mostly black and white members) gained control of the state legislature in the elections, defeating the Democrats. In 1896, Republican
Daniel L. Russell
Daniel Lindsay Russell Jr. (August 7, 1845May 14, 1908) was the 49th Governor of North Carolina, serving from 1897 to 1901. An attorney, judge, and politician, he had also been elected as state representative and to the United States Congress, ...
was elected as governor as a
Fusionist
In American politics, fusionism is the philosophical and political combination or "fusion" of traditionalist and social conservatism with political and economic right-libertarianism. The philosophy is most closely associated with Frank Meyer.
...
candidate, the first Republican since
Reconstruction
Reconstruction may refer to:
Politics, history, and sociology
*Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company
*'' Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...
. In 1898 the fusionist legislature passed a law to expand the
franchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
for the first time since Reconstruction by lowering property requirements, which benefited the white majority of the state as well as black voters.
But, the Democrats worked to regain political control of the legislature and the state. In 1897 they generated rhetoric about
miscegenation
Miscegenation ( ) is the interbreeding of people who are considered to be members of different Race (human categorization), races. The word, now usually considered pejorative, is derived from a combination of the Latin terms ''miscere'' ("to m ...
to curry votes in the next election cycle. In 1898 they continued to inflame white racial fears and campaigned for
white supremacy
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White s ...
, suggesting "the Democratic citizenry
houldoverthrow political domination and control of the Negro".
1897-1898 editorials

Mrs.
Rebecca Felton
Rebecca Ann Felton (née Latimer; June 10, 1835 – January 24, 1930) was an American writer, lecturer, feminist, suffragist, reformer, slave owner, and politician who was the first woman to serve in the United States Senate, although she serve ...
of Georgia gave a speech before the Agricultural Society at
Tybee Island, Georgia
Tybee Island is a city and a barrier island located in Chatham County, Georgia, 18 miles (29 km) east of Savannah, United States. Though the name "Tybee Island" is used for both the island and the city, geographically they are not identical ...
, in which she spoke out in favor of broad use of
lynching of African-American men in order to "protect" white women from the sexual attentions of Black men. Clawson published her speech in the ''Wilmington Messenger.''
Manly responded in an August 18, 1898 editorial in his ''Daily Record,'' saying that white men were hypocrites for protecting their white women while seeking to "destroy the morality of ours." He noted that whites had long preyed sexually on black women, both during
slavery
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
and since the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polic ...
, as white men often held economic and political power over black women in the
segregated Segregation may refer to:
Separation of people
* Geographical segregation, rates of two or more populations which are not homogenous throughout a defined space
* School segregation
* Housing segregation
* Racial segregation, separation of humans ...
society.
[Branan 2016, p. 102]
He generated great controversy by referring openly to
miscegenation
Miscegenation ( ) is the interbreeding of people who are considered to be members of different Race (human categorization), races. The word, now usually considered pejorative, is derived from a combination of the Latin terms ''miscere'' ("to m ...
in South Carolina society, noting flaws in the white double standard of assuming that all relationships of black men with white women were sexually coercive. He said that consensual relationships took place between white women and black men, but when these relationships attracted public attention, white people called it rape. Referring to another social fact that many whites wanted to ignore, he said that many "black" men were in fact
bi-racial
Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-eth ...
, with white fathers who themselves had liaisons with African American women.
["August 18, 1898: Wilmington Record Editorial"](_blank)
''The North Carolina Election of 1898,'' University of North Carolina, accessed 30 July 2014[Hayden 1936, p. 13] Alluding to studies by black journalist
Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells (full name: Ida Bell Wells-Barnett) (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931) was an American investigative journalist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement. She was one of the founders of the National Association fo ...
, he therefore argued that the stereotype of the "Big Burly Black Brute" punished in lynchings was incorrect: many were "sufficiently attractive for white girls of culture and refinement to fall in love with them, as is very well-known to all.",
and many were, scandalously, fathered by White men, a fact that meant interracial liaisons were also dealt by White men.
Racial tensions
Manly's opinion piece was republished in white papers, including the Wilmington ''News'' and ''
The News and Observer
''The News & Observer'' is an American regional daily newspaper that serves the greater Triangle area based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The paper is the largest in circulation in the state (second is the '' Charlotte Observer''). The paper has be ...
'' in Raleigh. It also gained national attention, in a year when North Carolina racial tensions were already high, inflamed by the Democratic campaigns for the pending election. Democrats were promoting white supremacy and exaggerating racial fears related to
miscegenation
Miscegenation ( ) is the interbreeding of people who are considered to be members of different Race (human categorization), races. The word, now usually considered pejorative, is derived from a combination of the Latin terms ''miscere'' ("to m ...
to bring out their supporters. Manly's comments about interracial relationships were controversial and unwelcome in the segregated society, although most in the white community were well aware of the many relationships that white men had with black women, including some men who kept second families with their mixed-race children.
Thomas Clawson
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
, a white local businessman and editor of ''
The Wilmington Messenger,'' claimed that Manly's editorial "made Wilmington seethe with uncontrollable indignation, bitterness, and rage." Critics described Manly's article as slanderous and degrading to white women.
[Clawson 1898, p. 2]
Political tensions
Democrats capitalized on Manly's editorial, claiming that "as long as
fusion remains, Negro men would continue preying on white women". Clawson published Manly's article daily in his newspaper in the weeks leading up to the November 9th election
and other newspapers also repeatedly published it in the two months leading up to the election. Additionally, Democrats carried copies of Manly's editorial with them to generate controversy in conversations and to strengthen their appeal. The editorial became so controversial that the struggling Republicans claimed that the Democrats, not Manly, had written it.
Democrats were successful in regaining control of the state legislature in the election on November 9, 1898. Much of the state was watching the outcome of elections in Wilmington, the largest city and with a majority-black population. A secret committee of white Democrats led by
Alfred Waddell had already planned the
Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
The Wilmington insurrection of 1898, also known as the Wilmington massacre of 1898 or the Wilmington coup of 1898, was a coup d'état and massacre carried out by white supremacists in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, on Thursday, Nove ...
if they lost local offices and control of the city government. In 1898 a biracial fusion ticket won the mayor's office and control of the city council: the mayor and two-thirds of the aldermen were white. Democrats initiated their insurrection.
Wilmington Insurrection
Democrats were determined to
overthrow the city government after losing the election. A group of
white supremacists
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White su ...
, known as the Committee of Twenty-five, first decided to remove publisher Manly from Wilmington by force. They also had already identified numerous black leaders whom they wanted to expel from the city, including the Manly brothers. The Committee gave leaders of the black community an ultimatum: the Manly brothers would have to be gone from the city by 10 A.M. on November 10, or else they would be forcefully removed.
But on the night of November 9, a "pre-arranged lynching party" went to the ''Daily Record'' to find Manly. They had declared him an outlaw to be killed on sight. The brothers fled town that night.
[Clawson 1898, 9] While there is debate about how Alex and Frank Manly left Wilmington, by November 10, the brothers had left the city. A large white mob of more than 1500 people destroyed the printing press and burned the offices of the ''Daily Record'' to the ground, and went on to massacre many of the towns black citizens in what would later be known as the Wilmington 1898 Coup d'etat and Massacre.
Manly sought shelter with black U.S. Congressman
George Henry White
George Henry White (December 18, 1852 – December 28, 1918) was an American attorney and politician, elected as a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 2nd congressional district between 1897 and 1901. He later became a banker ...
from North Carolina. For a time, Manly served in his office and wrote civil rights legislation, which White was unable to get through Congress.
Personal life and later career
Manly and his brother Frank moved to Washington, D.C. in 1900.
[Umfleet 2009, 184] Frank Manly eventually moved to Alabama, where he taught at
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature.
The campus was ...
, a noted
historically black college
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. M ...
.
While in the capital, Alex Manly married his fiancée
Caroline Sadgwar
Caroline may refer to:
People
*Caroline (given name), a feminine given name
* J. C. Caroline (born 1933), American college and National Football League player
* Jordan Caroline (born 1996), American (men's) basketball player
Places Antarctica
*Ca ...
, a graduate of
Fisk University
Fisk University is a private historically black liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its campus is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1930, Fisk was the first Afric ...
and a member of the
Fisk Jubilee Singers
The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an African-American ''a cappella'' ensemble, consisting of students at Fisk University. The first group was organized in 1871 to tour and raise funds for college. Their early repertoire consisted mostly of traditiona ...
.
Sadgwar was the daughter of Frederick Cutlar Sadgwar, a prominent businessman in Wilmington's African American community and his
Cherokee
The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, th ...
wife.; her paternal great-grandfather was a French sea captain.
["Sadgwar Family Home"](_blank)
African American Heritage Foundation of Wilmington, 2009, accessed 17 March 2016 She had become engaged to Manly in Wilmington. C., and the couple were wed at the home of North Carolina Congressman
George Henry White
George Henry White (December 18, 1852 – December 28, 1918) was an American attorney and politician, elected as a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 2nd congressional district between 1897 and 1901. He later became a banker ...
,
who had moved permanently to Washington, D.C., after North Carolina passed
a suffrage amendment in 1899 that created barriers to voter registration and excluded most black voters from the political system. White had announced that he would not run for a third term under such conditions, and instead built a law practice in the capital and also became a highly successful banker. In 1906 he moved to
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, where he founded a bank, and a black residential community in New Jersey.
David became a carpenter, and taught his trade to Frederick. After the war Frederick completed his education at
Lincoln University, a
historically black college
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African-American community. M ...
in Pennsylvania.
He returned to Wilmington and developed as a leader in the business community.
Together, the Manlys moved from Washington, DC to
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. They had two sons born in Philadelphia: Milo and Lewin. The former became an activist and fought for black property rights in Wilmington; he later became executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
In
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, Alex Manly became a member of an African-American newspaper council. He helped found The Armstrong Association, a precursor to the
National Urban League
The National Urban League, formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan historic civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of economic and social justice for African Am ...
.
He suffered from losing his newspaper and worked as a painter to support his family.
His sons were marked by the family's losses as well, and descendants have said the family frequently talked about "what might have been" if Alex Manly had not been run out of Wilmington and lost his newspaper business.
But Manly and his descendants persisted and were described as "among Philadelphia's most industrious and civic minded citizens Lewin Manly was less successful than his brother. He did not finish college and worked as a waiter in
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later t ...
. He married but was later divorced. But his namesake son, Lewin Manly Jr., became a successful dentist. When a Commission was appointed to study what is now known as the
Wilmington Insurrection of 1898
The Wilmington insurrection of 1898, also known as the Wilmington massacre of 1898 or the Wilmington coup of 1898, was a coup d'état and massacre carried out by white supremacists in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, on Thursday, Nove ...
, Lewin Manly Jr. was among those who favored compensation to descendants of victims for property and economic losses.
Legacy
*1994, the site of Manly's newspaper, ''Daily Record,'' is marked by a historical plaque that includes information about him and the insurrection of 1898, noted as a turning point in state history.
*A small collection of Manly's papers, including photographs of him and his brother, and his wife and son Milo, is held at
East Carolina University
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its origi ...
.
*Manly is discussed in ''The North Carolina Election of 1898'', Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
[Photo of Alex Manly as a young man is part of ''John Henry William Bonitz Papers, 1863-1973'']
Notes
References
1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission North Carolina Office of Archives & History, 2006
University of North Carolina Press
The University of North Carolina Press (or UNC Press), founded in 1922, is a university press that is part of the University of North Carolina. It was the first university press founded in the Southern United States. It is a member of the A ...
, 1998
* ''Alex L. Manley Papers (65),'' East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J.Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
* Bonitz, John Henry William, 1839-1913. John Henry William Bonitz Papers, 1863-1973.
* Branan, Karen. ''The Family Tree: A Lynching in Georgia, A Legacy of Secrets, and My Search for the Truth,'' New York: Atria Books, 2016
* Clawson, Thomas W., active 1898. ''Thomas W. Clawson Papers'', 1898 manuscript.
*
Edmonds, Helen G. 1979
''The Negro and Fusion Politics in North Carolina, 1894-1901'' New York: Russell and Russell. (partial preview online)
*Frazier, Eric. "Ghosts of 1898," ''The News and Observer,'' State Edition, 17 November 2006.
* Hayden, Harry. 1936. ''The Story of the Wilmington Rebellion'', Unpublished manuscript, Wilmington, N.C.: H. Hayden.
*Litwack, Leon F. (1999). ''Trouble in Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim Crow'' (1st ed.). New York: Vintage Books. .
*Miller, Daniel, ed. ''Dictionary of North Carolina Biography.'' Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1991. s.v. "Alex Manly."
Miller, Margaret. "Public Archives: Alex Manly" New Hanover County Public Library, 2012.
*Umfleet, LeRae. 2009. ''A Day of Blood: the 1898 Wilmington Race Riots.'' Raleigh: North Carolina office of Archives and History. (Report of the 1898 Race Riot Commission)
*
External links
Biography and photo: Alex Manly, at ''NC Election of 1898'' Library, University of North Carolina (includes photograph of Manly)
Biographical Sketches: Alex Manly ''Official Report of the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission'', State of North Carolina
"Alex Manly" North Carolina Historical Marker
Lucy Burnett, "Manly, Alex (1866-1944)" Black Past website
Extant issues of the ''Daily Record''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manly, Alex
1866 births
1944 deaths
Activists for African-American civil rights
Lynching survivors in the United States
Racially motivated violence against African Americans
American media personalities
Crimes in North Carolina
Activists from North Carolina
Wilmington insurrection of 1898
African-American people
19th-century African-American people
20th-century African-American people