Recently, I attended the Hampton Roads Social Justice Conference held at Christopher Newport University. More than 200 people from across Virginia gathered to address critical social justice issues, including affordable housing, domestic and sexual violence, child care, restoration of rights after incarceration, women’s rights, homelessness, climate justice and health disparities.

The conference organizers, the CNU Center for Crime, Equity, and Justice and the Hampton Roads Christian Community Development Network, planned something for everyone. In addition to nearly 50 concurrent sessions, keynote lectures and a nonprofit fair, they introduced new features that included a film screening, an art exhibit and the Jazz4Justice concert to benefit the Legal Aid Society.

The screening of the PBS documentary “American Coup” was the most riveting presentation. The film chronicled the complexities that led to the 1998 Wilmington Massacre, which wiped out a thriving community of Black homeowners, lawmakers and business professionals who called Wilmington home in the decades following the 1861 Emancipation Proclamation, which freed nearly 4 million enslaved Americans.

In 1890, the flourishing port city of Wilmington was the largest city in North Carolina. According to the 1890 census, Wilmington boasted a population of 20,046 people. The Black population of 11,334 people represented more than 56% of the total population with approximately 8,000 Black men who exercised their newly obtained right to vote. As a result, there was an abundance of Black elected officials including aldermen, health inspectors, post masters, magistrates and policemen. “The county coroner, jailer and treasurer were Black, as was the register of deeds. Black business people pooled their money in three Black-owned banks. Families a generation removed from enslavement owned their homes and read a local Black newspaper.”

The massacre resulted in the murder of more than 200 people. Another 2,000-plus Black people fled, leaving behind families, homes and businesses. Moreover, Black elected officials were forced to resign.

In 2006, a state-commissioned study concluded that the massacre was a coup and “blamed all levels of government for not intervening.” More than 125 years later, Wilmington’s Black community is still experiencing the aftershocks of this traumatic event.

“American Coup” featured interviews with historians and members of Wilmington’s descendant community, who helped to uncover the truth about the massacre. One familiar face that stood out was Lucy McCauley, a member of Coming to the Table, a national racial reconciliation organization with approximately 50 chapters nationwide.

As the founder of Coming to the Table’s Historic Triangle chapter, I was familiar with McCauley’s story. Her great-grandfather, William Berry McKoy, was one of the 19th century political leaders and lawyers whose actions helped to pave the way for the Wilmington coup. When McCauley inherited proceeds from the sale of McKoy’s Wilmington home, she seized an opportunity to help the Wilmington community to heal by using the funds to establish a scholarship fund for Black students.

Her reparative act accomplished three extraordinary feats. One, she acknowledged personal responsibility for the racial injustices of her ancestor. Two, she took tangible action to help repair harm. Three, she prioritized solidarity with descendant community members over gaining more personal wealth. McCauley’s actions are a blueprint for personal reparations to facilitate reconciliation and healing from festering racial wounds.

Brian Walker, CEO of Picture Motion, the firm overseeing the documentary’s marketing campaign, was on hand at the Hampton Roads Social Justice Conference. He reflected on the timeliness of the film. “‘American Coup’ resonates deeply in this moment as communities confront hard truths about democracy, justice and our shared history,” he said. “As someone whose family traces its roots to Wilmington, I’m proud that Picture Motion is helping bring this powerful film to audiences nationwide to spark reflection, dialogue and healing.”

The Virginia Racial Healing Institute provides a safe and welcoming space to engage in dialogue and training classes to foster racial healing at the birthplace of America.

Our choice today was laid out decades ago by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

The choice is clear. When we come together to build more truthful and just communities, we all win!

Laura D. Hill is the executive director of Virginia Racial Healing Institute, which manages Coming to the Table-Historic Triangle. Learn more about her work at varacialhealinginstitute.org.