Ku Klux Klan: Its Origin, Growth and Disbandment — John Shaqi
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)
In regard to the founding of the Pulaski Circle, Major J.R. Crowe
says: "Frank O. McCord was elected Grand Cyclops, and James R. Crowe,
Grand Turk. A committee composed of Richard R. Reed and Calvin
Jones[6] was appointed to select a name for the organization. The
Greek for _circle_ was chosen. We called it Kuklos, which was changed
to Ku Klux afterward when the name was proposed to the Circle. John
Kennedy suggested that we add another _K_, and the order was then
called Ku Klux Klan.... The mysterious lights seen floating about the
ruins (See p. 61) presented a weird and uncanny appearance and filled
the superstitious with dread of the place; so we were never disturbed,
and it only required a quaint garb and a few mysterious sounds to
convince the uninitiated that we were spirits from the other world. We
were quick to catch on to this idea and we governed ourselves
accordingly.... During our parades or appearances in public the
darkies either hid out or remained close in their houses.... The
origin of the order had no political significance. It was at first
purely social and for our amusement. It proved a great blessing to the
entire South and did what the State and Federal officials could not
do--it brought order out of chaos and peace and happiness to our
beloved South.... The order was careful in the admission of members
and I have never known of a betrayal of the secrets of the order. I am
proud to say that I never knew of one single act done by the genuine
Ku Klux Klan that I am ashamed of or do not now endorse."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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