The Wilmington Ten were a group of nine Black men and one white woman who were wrongfully convicted in 1972 in North Carolina for their alleged involvement in racial violence and arson during protests against segregation and discriminatory practices in Wilmington. The Ten were accused of conspiracy and arson after a violent confrontation between protesters and law enforcement in 1971.

The trial of the Wilmington Ten was highly controversial, as many believed that the charges were politically motivated and that the evidence against them was weak. The Ten were convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 34 years.

Over the years, civil rights organizations and activists advocated for the Wilmington Ten, arguing that they were victims of a racially biased justice system. In 1978, amid mounting pressure and evidence of prosecutorial misconduct, Governor Jim Hunt commuted their sentences, and in 2012, they were officially pardoned by Governor Beverly Perdue.

The Wilmington Ten case remains a significant example of the injustices faced by Black activists and community members during the Civil Rights Movement era, highlighting the challenges and struggles for racial equality and justice in America.