Race, Place, and Memory

“An immensely welcome longitudinal study of the intersection of race, place, and historical memory in Wilmington, North Carolina. Richly researched, beautifully written, and deeply analytical, Mulrooney’s study is a tour de force.”—John David Smith, editor of Interpreting American History: Reconstruction

“With clear and compelling prose, Mulrooney dives beneath the seemingly calm waters of a ‘progressive city’ to find evidence that racialized violence and memory-making were foundational to southern settlement and development rather than a mere aberration.”—Derek H. Alderman, coauthor of Civil Rights Memorials and the Geography of Memory

“Simply put, in cultural, political, and social environments rife with debates and disputes regarding Confederate-themed commemorative and celebratory statues and monuments in public venues, Mulrooney’s book deserves wide attention. . . . Essential.”—Choice

“Race, Place, and Memory should push more historians to think about the locales in which public memory is contested ground.”—H-Net

“A well-researched and well-documented must-read for anyone interested in the history of race and place, and it provides an invaluable resource for understanding Wilmington.”—Journal of American History

“Clear and undisputed documentation of the deep and protracted racial fault line in the port city. . . . The book, moreover, will also undoubtedly expose many new individuals to the important work and scholarship of professional public historians.”—Journal of African American History

“Recommended reading for anyone who wants to understand the importance and power of public history in creating a usable past.”—Journal of Southern History

“A valuable addition to our understanding both of Wilmington’s complex and often disturbing racial past and of the power of public memory in directing a community’s future for good or otherwise.”—North Carolina Historical Review