I listened to the book, "Fever in the Heartland" by Timothy Egan, over the weekend. It's about the rise of the KKK during the 1920's. It focuses primarily on Indiana and the grifter Grand Wizard whose parallels to Trump are staggering. One of the Klan's biggest grifting schemes was to use Evangelical churches as recruitment centers. Lots…
I listened to the book, "Fever in the Heartland" by Timothy Egan, over the weekend. It's about the rise of the KKK during the 1920's. It focuses primarily on Indiana and the grifter Grand Wizard whose parallels to Trump are staggering. One of the Klan's biggest grifting schemes was to use Evangelical churches as recruitment centers. Lots of money paid to preachers to grease the wheels of Good Christian Hate. By 1925 the Klan ruled most levels of Indiana's government. I did not realize the Klan was that big of a movement in the West and Rust Belt. Dues paying members in those areas dwarfed those in the South. It's a very informative book with the main story centering on the Indiana grifter...who was a real piece of work.
Yes, Indiana used to have a large KKK presence. I'm from Ohio. We did too, I hear. In 1923 southwest Ohio had a Klan rally 30k strong and 7k pledged to them that night. I never understood that thinking. My grandparents came over on a ship from Sicily in 1911. Grandpa worked in the steel mills, and they settled in an Ohio river town across from Wheeling WV. They were often treated as 2nd class and he never wanted us to do that to anyone else.
My great grandfather fought the KKK in Oregon, finally getting a case to the US Supreme Court, to stop the Klan Governor and his minions from eradicating private education.
Having grown up in the deep south I was stunned to move to Colorado and find out there had been a huge KKK presence here. May explain why we have so many armed militias still.
Thanks for the book rec. Among the best I've read re slavery specifically is "Dark Places of the Earth."
That was brought up in the book and it was led by a couple of the 'Four Horseman' of ND football fame. It was about the only time anyone really stood up to Klan intimidation.
You would probably enjoy Rachel Maddox’s podcast series Ultra, which explores the fascist strain of politics in the US during the 30s on up through the 50s. Staggering.
I had listened to Ultra and that led me to get this audio book. The US certainly has a strain of white supremacy that needs it's 'others', especially blacks and Jews.
I listened to the book, "Fever in the Heartland" by Timothy Egan, over the weekend. It's about the rise of the KKK during the 1920's. It focuses primarily on Indiana and the grifter Grand Wizard whose parallels to Trump are staggering. One of the Klan's biggest grifting schemes was to use Evangelical churches as recruitment centers. Lots of money paid to preachers to grease the wheels of Good Christian Hate. By 1925 the Klan ruled most levels of Indiana's government. I did not realize the Klan was that big of a movement in the West and Rust Belt. Dues paying members in those areas dwarfed those in the South. It's a very informative book with the main story centering on the Indiana grifter...who was a real piece of work.
One of my favorite quotes is a paraphrase I got from a Stephen King book, something like:
"Whenever someone starts talking about how Righteous and Godly they are, make sure you keep a close watch on your wallet."
It's words I live by and passed on to my sons.
The Indiana Klan's main target in the 1920s was Catholics and immigrants.
Yes, Indiana used to have a large KKK presence. I'm from Ohio. We did too, I hear. In 1923 southwest Ohio had a Klan rally 30k strong and 7k pledged to them that night. I never understood that thinking. My grandparents came over on a ship from Sicily in 1911. Grandpa worked in the steel mills, and they settled in an Ohio river town across from Wheeling WV. They were often treated as 2nd class and he never wanted us to do that to anyone else.
My great grandfather fought the KKK in Oregon, finally getting a case to the US Supreme Court, to stop the Klan Governor and his minions from eradicating private education.
Having grown up in the deep south I was stunned to move to Colorado and find out there had been a huge KKK presence here. May explain why we have so many armed militias still.
Thanks for the book rec. Among the best I've read re slavery specifically is "Dark Places of the Earth."
Ooo, Colleen, just put that book on my wishlist -- that’s the second time its been recommended this weekend.
Notre Dame's "The Fighting Irish" are so named because of a multi-day brawl in South Bend with the Klan.
Potatoes were weaponized. Windows were smashed. Klan hoods were yanked off of heads. Charlottesville-level chaos.
https://reimaginingmigration.org/secondary-source-notre-dame-versus-the-ku-klux-klan/
Good job Notre Dame!
That was brought up in the book and it was led by a couple of the 'Four Horseman' of ND football fame. It was about the only time anyone really stood up to Klan intimidation.
You would probably enjoy Rachel Maddox’s podcast series Ultra, which explores the fascist strain of politics in the US during the 30s on up through the 50s. Staggering.
I had listened to Ultra and that led me to get this audio book. The US certainly has a strain of white supremacy that needs it's 'others', especially blacks and Jews.
So true!