The Wilmington 10 were a group of civil rights activists wrongfully convicted in 1971 in North Carolina. Their case became a national symbol of racial injustice, highlighting systemic discrimination within the U.S. legal system. The group, which included nine African American men and one white woman, was accused of arson and conspiracy during a time of racial tension. Their trial and subsequent conviction were marred by prosecutorial misconduct and racial bias, drawing widespread criticism and sparking a movement for justice. In 1980, their convictions were overturned, but it wasn’t until 2012 that they were officially pardoned, underscoring the long struggle for civil rights and the need for legal reform in America.