New York World Exposé of the Ku Klux Klan
Encyclopedia
The New York World
’s exposé of the Ku Klux Klan
brought national media to the operations and actions of the Ku Klux Klan beginning on September 6th, 1921. It published a series of twenty one consecutive daily articles that discussed numerous aspects of Ku Klux Klan including rituals, recruitment methods, propaganda, and hypocrisies in logic. At least fifteen other newspapers nationwide picked up the coverage, which led to national discourse on the activities of the group. These publications included The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, Boston Globe, Pittsburg Sun, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), New Orleans Times-Picayune
, Galveston News, Houston Chronicle
, Seattle Times, Milwaukee Journal, Minneapolis Journal, Oklahoma City Oklahoman, Toledo Blade, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, Syracuse Herald, Columbus Enquirer-Sun and the Albany Knickerbocker Press. The New York Times ran ads for the article series to increase exposure, while other large papers like the Baltimore Sun quickly picked up the article series instead of advertising for The World
. The Ku Klux Klan announced shortly afterward that it would take legal action against all the publications that ran the article series for libel, seeking total damages of over ten million dollars.
s, to try and recruit members that require $10 donations, $4 of which goes to the Kleagle, and the rest to the organization. It estimates that at the time, the Klan had raised over five million dollars, all to support the ‘invisible empire’. The article condemns acts committed by the Klan used by these funds on moral grounds, and explains that its series will tell all that it could find after months of investigation.
.
, which once guarded as secret were provided by Joseph Simmons
with his decision to copyright the Kloran. This made the book available for reading at the Library of Congress
.
stole most of a poem by a New York City
poet Josiah Gilbert Holland
for one section of the Kloran.
Baptism
that was performed in initiation ceremonies for the Klan. Initiates were interrogated about their allegiances and asked some hypothetical questions regarding their allegiance, then doused in water similar to a Baptism. During this part of the ritual, the initiators proclaimed, “With this transparent, life-giving, powerful, God-given fluid, more precious and far more significant than all the sacred oils of the ancients, I set you apparent from the men of your daily association in the great and honorable task you have voluntarily allotted yourselves as citizens of the Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.” The article also gives excerpts from dedication rituals involved in the initiation process.
, the Klan at the time was still in an organizing mode, waiting until it had gained enough membership before it participated in “fireworks”. The author gives examples of quotes downplaying the Klan as a fraternal order, committed to 100% Americanism, using vague statements.
oath that was forged by the Klan. The oath includes anti-Protestant sentiments including, “when opportunity presents, make and wage relentless war, openly and secretly, against all heretics, Protestants and Masons
…” (sept 14th pg. 4). The oath was presented as an oath taken to become a 4th degree Knight of Columbus as an example to pitch the idea that Catholic
s were looking to eradicate Protestants and therefore should join the Klan.
propaganda by the Klan. The article mentions a card distributed by the Klan called “Do You Know?” that gave false information about the activities of the Catholic Church. These included statements about the Pope
controlling the media, court systems, denouncing popular government, and installing his own Catholic government.
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
’s exposé 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...
brought national media to the operations and actions of the Ku Klux Klan beginning on September 6th, 1921. It published a series of twenty one consecutive daily articles that discussed numerous aspects of Ku Klux Klan including rituals, recruitment methods, propaganda, and hypocrisies in logic. At least fifteen other newspapers nationwide picked up the coverage, which led to national discourse on the activities of the group. These publications included The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
, Boston Globe, Pittsburg Sun, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), New Orleans Times-Picayune
New Orleans Times-Picayune
The Times-Picayune is a daily newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.-History:Established as The Picayune in 1837 by Francis Lumsden and George Wilkins Kendall, the paper's initial price was one picayune—a Spanish coin equivalent to 6¼¢ .Under Eliza Jane Nicholson, who inherited the...
, Galveston News, Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, Seattle Times, Milwaukee Journal, Minneapolis Journal, Oklahoma City Oklahoman, Toledo Blade, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, Syracuse Herald, Columbus Enquirer-Sun and the Albany Knickerbocker Press. The New York Times ran ads for the article series to increase exposure, while other large papers like the Baltimore Sun quickly picked up the article series instead of advertising for The World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
. The Ku Klux Klan announced shortly afterward that it would take legal action against all the publications that ran the article series for libel, seeking total damages of over ten million dollars.
September 6th, 1921
The first article was titled “Ku Klux Klan Wars on Catholics, Jews; Reap Rich Returns” – “Nationwide Investigation of Secret Order Shows It Gains Great Power by Winning Officials as Members – Fortune is Collected in Initiation Dues”. The first article posed many questions to draw in readers regarding how the Klan works, and offered that it would explain all in its series. It expounded on the increase in membership past 500,000 in recent years, and it described an expanded interest from being anti-African American to being an anti-Catholic, and anti-Jewish group as well. The Klan accomplished this by barring membership to these groups. It also reveals that the Klan used salesman, called KleagleKleagle
A Kleagle is an officer of the Ku Klux Klan whose main role is to recruit new members.-Kleagles:*Edgar Ray Killen, a Mississippi Klansman long suspected of involvement in a notorious civil rights movement murder that were the subject of the movie Mississippi Burning...
s, to try and recruit members that require $10 donations, $4 of which goes to the Kleagle, and the rest to the organization. It estimates that at the time, the Klan had raised over five million dollars, all to support the ‘invisible empire’. The article condemns acts committed by the Klan used by these funds on moral grounds, and explains that its series will tell all that it could find after months of investigation.
September 7th, 1921
The second article was titled “Ku Klux Officer Exposes Alleged Frauds of Order” – “Captain Fry Voluntarily Resign Positions, Denounces Organization as ‘Un-American, Conceived in Avarice, Sired in Ignorance, and Damned in Greed’.” The article focused on a resignation letter written to the Klan by a former Kleagle, Henry P. Fry, condemning the Klan due to conflict with their activities on moral grounds and the Klan’s oath’s conflict with his oath to the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
September 8th, 1921
The third article was titled “Ku Klux Klan Plot Alleged to Reach Army and Navy” – “Officers Club in New York Used for Mail Headquarters for Membership Solicitors – Men in Service Invited to Join Secret Order.” The article focused on correspondence among the Klan and members of the Army and Navy Club in New York City through a semi-secret mailbox (an abnormality for mail at the club) to recruit potential prospects in the armed services. The Klan used its message of one hundred percent Americanism to draw in individuals in the military.September 9th, 1921
The fourth article was titled “Clarkes’ Own Roster Shows ‘Kleagles’ In Nearly All States” – “Letter Sent Simmons by His Chief Aide Declared That Secrets of Order Were Safe from Exposure” The article discusses the sales management aspects of the Klan through using Kleages as door to door salesmen. It discusses how the Klan believed their headquarters in each area that they recruited in was secret at the time, and that individuals would be hard pressed to find them. The World was able to obtain information on all the Klan's employees, totaling over 214 members within their sales operations.September 10th, 1921
The fifth article was titled “Simmons Gives Klan Ritual to ‘Aliens’ by Copyright Kloran” – “Wizardry ‘Colonel’ Displays in Guarding Treasure of Order Surpasses All for Sheer Clumsiness.” The article discusses the promotion of the Klan as an extremely secret society to potential members, so much that Klan members don’t tell their closest relationships of their membership. It discusses the ritual oaths of the KloranKloran
The Kloran is the handbook of the Ku Klux Klan. Versions of the Kloran typically contain detailed descriptions of the role of different Klan members as well as detailing Klan ceremonies and procedures....
, which once guarded as secret were provided by Joseph Simmons
Joseph Simmons
Joseph Ward Simmons , known by the stage name Rev. Run or DJ Run, is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Run–D.M.C., and a practicing minister, known as Reverend Run. Simmons was born in Hollis, Queens, New York. He is the younger brother of Daniel "Danny" Simmons, Jr...
with his decision to copyright the Kloran. This made the book available for reading at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.
September 11th, 1921
The sixth article was titled “Klux Klan Ritual Indicates Simmons Indulges in Poetry” – “Imperial Wizard Adopts Holland’s Familiar Lines and Overlooks Crediting to Author Long Gone.” The article discusses part of the poems used within Klan rituals as well as prayers and statements during the rituals that exalt and praise the Imperial Wizard. The article reveals that SimmonsJoseph Simmons
Joseph Ward Simmons , known by the stage name Rev. Run or DJ Run, is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Run–D.M.C., and a practicing minister, known as Reverend Run. Simmons was born in Hollis, Queens, New York. He is the younger brother of Daniel "Danny" Simmons, Jr...
stole most of a poem by a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
poet Josiah Gilbert Holland
Josiah Gilbert Holland
Josiah Gilbert Holland was an American novelist and poet who also wrote under the pseudonym Timothy Titcomb. He helped to found and edit Scribner's Monthly , in which appeared his novels, Arthur Bonnicastle, The Story of Sevenoaks, Nicholas Minturn...
for one section of the Kloran.
September 12th, 1921
The seventh article was titled “Christian Baptism Ceremony Parodied in Klux Klan Ritual” – “Initiation Made Imposing to Impress Credulous Candidates Who Join Imperial Wizard Simmons’ Hordes.” The article describes the similarities of ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
that was performed in initiation ceremonies for the Klan. Initiates were interrogated about their allegiances and asked some hypothetical questions regarding their allegiance, then doused in water similar to a Baptism. During this part of the ritual, the initiators proclaimed, “With this transparent, life-giving, powerful, God-given fluid, more precious and far more significant than all the sacred oils of the ancients, I set you apparent from the men of your daily association in the great and honorable task you have voluntarily allotted yourselves as citizens of the Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.” The article also gives excerpts from dedication rituals involved in the initiation process.
September 13th, 1921
The eighth article was titled “Klan’s Dire Crusade to Mean Fireworks, Klux Emperor Hints” – “Invisible Terror’s Campaign Against Enemies Will Come When Time is Ripe, Wizard Declares.” The article describes how according to Joseph SimmonsJoseph Simmons
Joseph Ward Simmons , known by the stage name Rev. Run or DJ Run, is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Run–D.M.C., and a practicing minister, known as Reverend Run. Simmons was born in Hollis, Queens, New York. He is the younger brother of Daniel "Danny" Simmons, Jr...
, the Klan at the time was still in an organizing mode, waiting until it had gained enough membership before it participated in “fireworks”. The author gives examples of quotes downplaying the Klan as a fraternal order, committed to 100% Americanism, using vague statements.
September 14th, 1921
The ninth article was titled “Bogus K.C. Oath Used by Klux Klan Kleagle ‘Among Certain Few’” – “Exposure of Fraud Follows Publication of Letters Written by Klux Official – Falsity of Claim Proved by Masonic Investigators.” The article focuses on pamphlet literature handed out by Kleagles to try and convince new members to join. One pamphlet included an example of a Knights of ColumbusKnights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
oath that was forged by the Klan. The oath includes anti-Protestant sentiments including, “when opportunity presents, make and wage relentless war, openly and secretly, against all heretics, Protestants and Masons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
…” (sept 14th pg. 4). The oath was presented as an oath taken to become a 4th degree Knight of Columbus as an example to pitch the idea that Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s were looking to eradicate Protestants and therefore should join the Klan.
September 15th, 1921
The tenth article was titled “Bitter Anti-Catholic Propaganda Peddled by Officials of Klan” – “Methods More Secretive than Formerly Used by A.P.A., Is Claim – Publication Supposed to be Allied to Order, Attacks Roman Catholic.” The article focuses on more anti-CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
propaganda by the Klan. The article mentions a card distributed by the Klan called “Do You Know?” that gave false information about the activities of the Catholic Church. These included statements about the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
controlling the media, court systems, denouncing popular government, and installing his own Catholic government.