[by Lani Russwurm] The Ku Klux Klan is a uniquely American phenomenon, but in the 1920s Klan organizers decided to spread their venom internationally. They set up chapters in Saskatchewan and other points east of the Rockies. During their brief time in British Columbia, organizers spent their energy trying to convince the public that the Klan wasn’t the barbaric homicidal terrorist outfit described in the papers.
Vancouverites knew about the Ku Klux Klan long before they arrived in Shaughnessy in 1925. The original Klan was an obscure racist vigilante group active in the late 1860s and early 70s that sought to restore white supremacy in the American south following the emancipation of African Americans. They would have been a minor footnote in American history if not for Thomas Dixon’s immensely popular book, The Clansman.
No comments:
Post a Comment