The Wilmington Ten were a group of nine men and one woman who were wrongfully convicted in 1972 in North Carolina. The group consisted of civil rights activists, students, and community organizers who were actively involved in protesting racial segregation and discrimination in Wilmington.

The Wilmington Ten were convicted of arson and conspiracy during a time of social unrest and racial tension in the city. The accusations stemmed from a fire at a grocery store during a time when there were clashes between African Americans and white supremacist groups.

The conviction of the Wilmington Ten was widely seen as a miscarriage of justice, with allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, evidence tampering, and perjury by witnesses. The case garnered national attention and sparked outrage within the African American community and among civil rights activists.

In 1980, after years of appeals and public pressure, the convictions of the Wilmington Ten were overturned by a federal court, citing constitutional violations and prosecutorial misconduct. The case of the Wilmington Ten is seen as a significant example of the systemic racism and injustices faced by Black Americans in the criminal justice system.