KKK auxiliaries
Encyclopedia
KKK auxiliaries
included the Women of the Ku Klux Klan
, the Junior Ku Klux Klan, the Tri-K Girls, the American Krusaders, the Ku Klux Kiddies, and the Klan’s Colored Man auxiliary.
The second Ku Klux Klan (KKK), often called the Klan of the 1920s, was officially the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Its membership was open to male, white, Protestant, native-born Americans “of good moral character” over the age of 18. It had chapters in European countries, Canada, Mexico and New Zealand and there were also KKK auxiliaries.
Violent acts, scandals, and crimes among the leadership contributed largely to public disgrace and downfall of the second KKK and its auxiliaries.
, a period of great optimism in the ability of people to improve society. It was a period during which eugenics
was widely believed to hold promise for improving society by increasing desirable characteristics of the population and reducing crime, poverty and other social problems.
The 1920s were also characterized by profound social changes that disturbed many of the largely rural, white, Protestant citizens. They feared the potential power and influence of African-Americans, southern Europeans, Roman Catholics
, Jews
, Bolsheviks (communists), and labor unions. There was a resulting cultural is s sadconflict between the old and established and the new and different. The Klan saw itself as defending American culture against dangerous “foreign” people and ideas. It carried the American flag rather than the “rebel” flag as later Klans would.
The second Klan believed that it was defending traditional American values although in doing so it often violated some of those very values. The Klan saw drinking alcoholic beverage
s as symbolic of southern Europeans, Catholics and Jews and not only strongly supported national prohibition
of alcohol but actively enforced it, sometimes with bloody violence.
) was open to white, Protestant, American born women “of good character” over the age of 18 who owed no allegiance to any foreign government or sect, such as Catholicism
, Socialism
, Communism
, and so on. It is estimated to have had over one million members, a quarter of which were in Indiana. In other states, women made up almost half of the total Klan membership, while in additional states they remained an extreme minority. These women were drawn to the Klan through the insistence of the KKK who ensured that due to their membership, white Protestant women would gain women’s rights.
The initiation of a women’s auxiliary of the Klan however, was spurred as the result of an earlier group of women who called themselves the Ladies of the Invisible Empire (LOTIE). The chapters were initiated throughout the country, with the Portland, Oregon
chapter initiating more than one thousand women into their order in a single month in 1922. Initiation into these chapters required the women to detail their family, religious, and political background, as well as swear allegiance to Christianity
and the principles of “pure Americanism”. Unsure about the competition that the LOTIE and other women’s organizations would create, the Klan promoted the idea of a single women’s auxiliary, now known as the formal women of the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan noted that by including women in their political agenda, women’s suffrage
could not only be safeguarded but could also develop other women’s legal rights, all while working to preserve white Protestant supremacy. The women of the Klan were to be helpmates to the Klansmen and their 100% American mission. Not all Klansmen however, were in favor of officially including women within their group. Some felt that allowing women to be involved in the political realm, including allowing them to vote would foster masculine boldness and independence, which would depreciate the decency of womanhood. From this, women felt alienated and as early as 1922, wrote letters to the editor of the Fiery Cross
protesting their exclusion from the Klan. The wives of Klan members were not always happy staying at home with the children, and desired to be involved in the new white Protestant movement that their husbands were involved in.
Women were recruited into the WKKK by hired female kleagles who used the same campaigning methods as their male kleagle counterparts. Recruitment was conducted through social contacts of personal, family, and work connections as well as through existing organizations. Open meetings were also held to the politically inactive and women currently not in Klan families. In four short months, the WKKK had successfully doubled its previous membership, now bringing the total to 250,000 women. By November of 1923, thirty-six states included chapters of the women of the KKK.
The Tri-K Girls was for white, Protestant, American born girls age 12 to 18.
The American Krusaders was open to white, Protestant, naturalized American citizens of foreign birth.
The Ku Klux Kiddies was for kids 3-11 and the Klan’s Colored Man auxiliary was for African-American men. Little is known about these auxiliaries.
Auxiliaries
An auxiliary force is a group affiliated with, but not part of, a military or police organization. In some cases, auxiliaries are armed forces operating in the same manner as regular soldiers...
included the Women of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, the Junior Ku Klux Klan, the Tri-K Girls, the American Krusaders, the Ku Klux Kiddies, and the Klan’s Colored Man auxiliary.
The second Ku Klux Klan (KKK), often called the Klan of the 1920s, was officially the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Its membership was open to male, white, Protestant, native-born Americans “of good moral character” over the age of 18. It had chapters in European countries, Canada, Mexico and New Zealand and there were also KKK auxiliaries.
Violent acts, scandals, and crimes among the leadership contributed largely to public disgrace and downfall of the second KKK and its auxiliaries.
Background
The Klan of the 1920s existed during the Progressive EraProgressive Era
The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of social activism and political reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of government, as Progressives tried to eliminate corruption by exposing and undercutting political...
, a period of great optimism in the ability of people to improve society. It was a period during which eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
was widely believed to hold promise for improving society by increasing desirable characteristics of the population and reducing crime, poverty and other social problems.
The 1920s were also characterized by profound social changes that disturbed many of the largely rural, white, Protestant citizens. They feared the potential power and influence of African-Americans, southern Europeans, Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, Bolsheviks (communists), and labor unions. There was a resulting cultural is s sadconflict between the old and established and the new and different. The Klan saw itself as defending American culture against dangerous “foreign” people and ideas. It carried the American flag rather than the “rebel” flag as later Klans would.
The second Klan believed that it was defending traditional American values although in doing so it often violated some of those very values. The Klan saw drinking alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s as symbolic of southern Europeans, Catholics and Jews and not only strongly supported national prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
of alcohol but actively enforced it, sometimes with bloody violence.
Women
The Women of the Ku Klux Klan (WKKKWKKK
The WKKK was one of a number of auxiliaries of the Ku Klux Klan. While most women focused on the moral, civic, and educational agenda of the Klan, they also had considerable involvement in issues of race, class, ethnicity, gender, and religion...
) was open to white, Protestant, American born women “of good character” over the age of 18 who owed no allegiance to any foreign government or sect, such as Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
, Socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, and so on. It is estimated to have had over one million members, a quarter of which were in Indiana. In other states, women made up almost half of the total Klan membership, while in additional states they remained an extreme minority. These women were drawn to the Klan through the insistence of the KKK who ensured that due to their membership, white Protestant women would gain women’s rights.
The initiation of a women’s auxiliary of the Klan however, was spurred as the result of an earlier group of women who called themselves the Ladies of the Invisible Empire (LOTIE). The chapters were initiated throughout the country, with the Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
chapter initiating more than one thousand women into their order in a single month in 1922. Initiation into these chapters required the women to detail their family, religious, and political background, as well as swear allegiance to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and the principles of “pure Americanism”. Unsure about the competition that the LOTIE and other women’s organizations would create, the Klan promoted the idea of a single women’s auxiliary, now known as the formal women of the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan noted that by including women in their political agenda, women’s suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
could not only be safeguarded but could also develop other women’s legal rights, all while working to preserve white Protestant supremacy. The women of the Klan were to be helpmates to the Klansmen and their 100% American mission. Not all Klansmen however, were in favor of officially including women within their group. Some felt that allowing women to be involved in the political realm, including allowing them to vote would foster masculine boldness and independence, which would depreciate the decency of womanhood. From this, women felt alienated and as early as 1922, wrote letters to the editor of the Fiery Cross
Fiery cross
The Fiery cross is the English language term for a piece of wood, such as a baton, that North Europeans, e.g. Scotsmen and Scandinavians, used to send to rally people for things for defence or rebellion ....
protesting their exclusion from the Klan. The wives of Klan members were not always happy staying at home with the children, and desired to be involved in the new white Protestant movement that their husbands were involved in.
Women were recruited into the WKKK by hired female kleagles who used the same campaigning methods as their male kleagle counterparts. Recruitment was conducted through social contacts of personal, family, and work connections as well as through existing organizations. Open meetings were also held to the politically inactive and women currently not in Klan families. In four short months, the WKKK had successfully doubled its previous membership, now bringing the total to 250,000 women. By November of 1923, thirty-six states included chapters of the women of the KKK.
Other auxiliaries
The Junior Ku Klux Klan was for white, Protestant, American boys age 12 to 18.The Tri-K Girls was for white, Protestant, American born girls age 12 to 18.
The American Krusaders was open to white, Protestant, naturalized American citizens of foreign birth.
The Ku Klux Kiddies was for kids 3-11 and the Klan’s Colored Man auxiliary was for African-American men. Little is known about these auxiliaries.