The Ku Klux Klan: First Revival (1910s-20s)


Figure 1.--A huge expansion of the Klu-Klux-Klan occurred in the 1910s and 20s. It was the Klan's first revival since its founding after the Civil War. And this time it was not confined to the South. And it was not done in the dark or hidden in the closet. Here we have a portrait of a boy at a Klan meeting about 1920. It was framed and proudly displayed in the family's living room. Note the mythology change here. THe original Klan was largely Confederate soldiers who did not brandish the American flag. The revived Klan, especially in the Borth, prominately displayed the American flag.

Several trends such as black emigration to the north and World war I help to signifgicantly expland Klan membership. the Klan began to grow in the North and not just the South. Klan organization was reported in about 40 ststes. There were differences in the Klan message in the North and South. The great strength of the Klan remained in the South and there the focus remained primarily on suppression of blacks. The Klan in the South strongly expoused Protestant fundamentalism. The Klan in the North and Mid-west was less focused on blacks, in part because many communities ha few blacks. There was also less association with Protestant fundamentalism. The Klan in the Niorth was more of an ultra-patriotic movement with some similasrity with the Fascist movement in Europe. The Klan portrayed iutself as an American movement to protect the country agaunst foreign elements, including Jews, Roman Catholics, socialists, communists, and foreigners in general. The targets of the Klan in the north were not only blacks but also recent Ruropean immigrants who were often Catholic or Jewish. Labopr organizrs and striking woirkers were klabeled as subversives. The Klan in the North organized mass marches, one even in Washington D.C. Hiram W. Evans became the Klan's Imperial Wizard (1922). Evans led the Klan's most successful membership drive. Klansmen were elected to state and local office throughout the south and in some northern states as well. Evans bosted of a menbership exceediong 4 million people. Some estimates are even as high as 6 million. The Klan achieved considerable political influence not only in the South, but in northern states as well. Klan influence in the North was especially notable in Connecticut, Indiana, and OIregon. Klan violence reached new levels, espercially in the South. and adopted increasingly violent methods with kisnappings, floggings, beatings, and lynchings to terrorize blacks. Klansmens acted with virtual impunity, in part because the police as well as elected officials were often Klan members or sympethizers. Throughout the South only whites served on juries and white juries refused to convict other whites for assaults on blacks. Klan Decline

Klan Revival (1910s)

There was a major revival of the Klan in the 1910s. Thomas Dixon's book The Ku Klux Klan (1905) played a role here. Even more important was D.W. Griffith. landmark, but voiciouslly racist film "Birth of a Nation (1915). The film was a national sensation. President Wilson, a historian himself, even spoke highly of it. The film proovided a Lost Cause depiction of Reconstruction with white cibvbilization being saved by the Klan. William J. Simmons, a minister, took advantage of the public mood to revive the Klan. The new Klan was incorporated in Georgia as a fratenal organization with the new name of the Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. It adopted same ritual and regalia as the origional Klan of Reconstruction era in the 1860s. Membership was restricted to white Protestan males, 16 years of age or older. As a result the work of Simmons and others. The revived Klan at first had little real impact.

World War I (1914-18)

The United States experiebnced substantial economic and social change as a result of World War I. Blacks were drafted along with whites and large numbers served in the AEF in France as part if seggregated units. After the War there was a difficult period of economic adjustment. Both industry and agricultured had expanded to meet war needs. Industry scaled back anf jobs became hard to find for returning veterans. The farm economy in particulkar declined. Mixed into these trends were black emigratiuon to the northern states and the expectations of black veterans returning from the more open society in France. There was as a result a great expansion in Klan membership and organization. Klan violence in the South had begun to drive blacks north. Expanding black population in northern cities increased northern interest in the Klan. The experience of blacks in the military, especially among those deployed in Europe, increased black demands for change.

Expansion of the Revived Klan

These trends help to signifgicantly expland Klan membership. the Klan began to grow in the North and not just the South. Klan organization was reported in about 40 ststes. There were differences in the Klan message in the North and South. The great strength of the Klan remained in the South and there the focus remained primarily on suppression of blacks. The Klan in the South strongly expoused Protestant fundamentalism. The Klan in the North and Mid-west was less focused on blacks, in part because many communities ha few blacks. There was also less association with Protestant fundamentalism. The Klan in the Niorth was more of an ultra-patriotic movement with some similasrity with the Fascist movement in Europe. The Klan portrayed iutself as an American movement to protect the country agaunst foreign elements, including Jews, Roman Catholics, socialists, communists, and foreigners in general. The targets of the Klan in the north were not only blacks but also recent Ruropean immigrants who were often Catholic or Jewish. Labopr organizrs and striking woirkers were klabeled as subversives. The Klan in the North organized mass marches, one even in Washington D.C. Hiram W. Evans became the Klan's Imperial Wizard (1922). Evans led the Klan's most successful membership drive. Klansmen were elected to state and local office throughout the south and in some northern states as well. Evans bosted of a menbership exceediong 4 million people. Some estimates are even as high as 6 million. The Klan achieved considerable political influence not only in the South, but in northern states as well. Klan influence in the North was especially notable in Connecticut, Indiana, and OIregon. Klan violence reached new levels, espercially in the South. and adopted increasingly violent methods with kisnappings, floggings, beatings, and lynchings to terrorize blacks. Klansmens acted with virtual impunity, in part because the police as well as elected officials were often Klan members or sympethizers. Throughout the South only whites served on juries and white juries refused to convict other whites for assaults on blacks.

Klan Decline

The Klan tide was reversed by sensational developments in Indiana, the northern state where the Klan was strongest. Klan leader, David C. Stephenson,was convictedc of murder. The conviction was obtained in large part because he killerd a white woman. He was surprised with the convinction and even mote by the goivernors failure to comute the sentence. Accounts of Klan corruption changed the public image of the Klan and membership plumyted. The Klan became a spent force. Membership declined throughout the Depression and Woirld war II. Finally the orgasnization disbanded (1944).







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Created: 7:27 PM 1/8/2010
Last updated: 7:27 PM 1/8/2010