The Ku Klux Klan

• Membership:

  In the 1920s, the number of members of the KKK rose quickly.

  Simmons recruited 2 public relations experts to help him

  • Edward Clarke
  • Elizabeth Tyler

  The two of them came up with ways to attract new members.
• Membership (2):

  • Keagles could keep $4 from the $10 entrance fee (encourage the recruition of new members as they would get something out of it)
  • By 1923, the Klan had 5 million members across 4,000 chapters.

  Mainly people from urban middle class (small businessmen, professionals)

  • Wanted to force their moral values onto others.
• Leadership:

  • William Simmons restarted the organisation - boosted its membership.

  Core values were extended:

  1. WASPS were superior race
  2. immigration should stop
  3. WASPS should have strong Christian values
• Leadership (2):

  • Targeted adulterers and bootleggers

  (Bootleggers is the name referring to someone who sells illegal goods)

  • Modern organisation structure (divided into chapters):

  Klansman represents Kleagle (local leader)

  • With this structure, Simmons could spread the Klan across the whole of the USA
• Core values:

  • The white Anglo-Saxon protestants were seen as being superior - but they needed to 'fight to survive' in modern society.
  • Immigration should stop, as it brought foreigners to the USA who threatened WASPS power.
  • WASPS should have strong Christian values.
• Methods:

  • The Klan had considerable political power.

  It had senators from Texas & Indiana, the govern of Alabama and the mayor of Portland in Oregon.

  • Had influence over the legal system

  (Some judges and police officers were members, or were sympathetic to the Klan - made it difficult for victims of the KKK to get justice before the law)
• Power:

  Klan's power declined after 1925

  • influential grand dragon (state leader) David Stephenson, found guilty of rape + murder of a 28-year old woman - damaged reputation of Klan.
  • By 1929: Only 200,000 members were left