Ku Klux Klan: Its Origin, Growth and DisbandmentLester, John C.
History
Ku Klux Klan: Its Origin, Growth and Disbandment
Lester, John C.
Ku Klux Klan (19th century)
As a general account of the Ku Klux movement Lester and Wilson's
History leaves something to be desired. It is colored too much by
conditions in Tennessee. No knowledge is shown of other organizations
similar to Ku Klux Klan, when in fact there were several other very
important ones, such as the White Brotherhood, the White League, the
Pale Faces, the Constitutional Union Guards, and one, the Knights of
the White Camelia,[2] that was larger than the Klan and covered a
wider territory. Then, too, in an attempt to make a moderate statement
that would be generally accepted, the authors failed to portray
clearly the chaotic social, economic and political conditions that
caused the rise of such orders, and in endeavoring to condemn the acts
of violence committed under cloak of the order they went too far in
the direction of apologetic explanation. Consequently, the causes seem
somewhat trivial and the results not very important.[3] It would seem
from their account that after a partial success, the movement failed
in its attempt to regulate society, and degenerated into general
disorder. This is a superficial conclusion and is not concurred in by
the survivors of the period and those who understand the conditions of
that time. The remnants of such a secret, illegal order were certain
to degenerate finally into violence, but before it reached this stage
it had accomplished much good in reducing to order the social
chaos.[4]
[Illustration: SOME KLANSMEN
1. D.L. Wilson, one of the authors of "Ku Klux Klan." 2. Major
J.R. Crowe, one of the founders. 3. Captain John C. Lester, one
of the founders. 4. General Albert Pike, chief judicial officer.
5. General W.J. Hardee. 6. Calvin Jones, one of the founders. 7.
Ryland Randolph.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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