A Man of Bad Reputation

In the wake of the Civil War, North Carolina Republican state senator John W. Stephens was murdered, a crime attributed to the Ku Klux Klan that ignited insurrection and led to significant political fallout, including Governor William W. Holden's impeachment. In his exploration of this pivotal event, Drew A. Swanson delves into the investigations, court proceedings, and the longstanding effects of violence on the Reconstruction era, highlighting how race, politics, and social power were intertwined. The enduring repercussions of Stephens's assassination and the failure to bring any perpetrators to justice illustrate a power struggle that shaped narratives of memory and legacy in the South.