However, the Klan would reemerge in the early decades of the 20th century and become a well established organization that was so widely accepted throughout the country that it could stage huge parades in the heart of Washington, DC as pictured above. At its height, estimates of Klan membership range from 2-3 million. It was during this time that the practice of cross burning became widespread, and white Christian nationalism was a foundational principle of the Klan. Their focus on white supremacy targeted Blacks, Jews, Catholics, and immigrants of all backgrounds who were not white Protestants. Yet due to internal disputes and organizational chaos, that iteration of the Klan eventually diminished too.
The third phase of the Klan’s history developed in response to the gains of the modern Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s-60’s. In defense of the “way of life’“ of racial segregation, Klan members engaged in acts of racial terror and intimidation that were often supported by local officials and law enforcement officers many of whom were Klan members themselves. Following the Civil Rights Movement, a smaller version of the Klan became one of the racist groups advocating for white power in more recent decades. The first video posted below provides a concise history of the KKK.
The history of the KKK that started on Christmas Eve of 1865 shows that racism evolves and takes different forms both within that organization and in the larger society. Although the Klan is small in numbers at the present time, their ideology of white supremacy in general and white Christian nationalism in particular have received an alarming level of support in our nation today. Rhetoric and policy proposals that demonize immigrants and promote dehumanizing stereotypes of people who are non-Christian are contemporary examples of the way racism evolves. When a former President recently used the language of “poisoning the blood of our nation” followed by further negative racial imagery, this draws on the fears and stereotypes that are at the heart of racism both in the past and present. The second video posted below is a clip from former President Trump’s speech in which he used this language and imagery.
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas Eve 2023, may we remember that the One whom Christians call the Son of God and Prince of Peace was born a Middle Eastern brown skinned Jewish child who became a refugee. His life and ministry went on to proclaim and embody God’s love for all people regardless of race, religion, national origin, or social status. Any of us who celebrate his birth this Christmas need to both remember the kind of person he was during his time on Earth and the kind of people he calls us to be today.