The Klan

First published in 1978, The Klan is still considered the best book to appear on the grandfather of all extremist hate groups. Now, in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing and other domestic terrorist activities that are the legacy of Klan violence, it is more timely than ever. Patsy Sims, an award-winning journalist, drove more than 1,200 miles over the back roads of the South to begin this book. During two years of research and writing she talked, rallied, and kept in almost constant telephone contact with Klan leaders and rank-and-file members. The result was more than 150 hours of taped interviews revealing the personal experiences of the Klanspeople and their victims. These she wove together with history and contemporary news events for a riveting look inside the organization at the peak of its power. In this highly evocative narrative, Sims allows readers to experience Klan rallies and cross burnings, relive the terror of surviving victims, visit Klan homes and meeting halls, sit through an interview conducted at gunpoint, and meet the people behind the hoods. By showing what the leaders and members of the Invisible Empire are like both on and off the rally grounds, and by letting them speak for themselves, Sims provides invaluable insight into the mentality that gives rise to extremist hate groups and paramilitary organizations. An Update Of A 1978 Study Of The Ku Klux Klan, Based Upon Two Years Of Research And Interviews With Klanspeople And Their Victims, Offering Insight Into The Thought Processes That Give Rise To Hate Groups And Paramilitary Organizations. Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Entering The Invisible Empire -- Dale Reusch: Tossing His Hood Into The Ring -- Signs Of The Times -- Bob Jones: The Tattooed Dragon -- At The Filling Station -- Robert Scoggin: Inside The Klavern -- Ed Dawson: A Few Regrets -- Day The Klan Returned To Pulaski -- Poet -- Robert Shelton: The Salesman -- G T Miller: Taking On The Klan -- Ira Dement: The Defender -- Birmingham Bombings -- Warning -- David Duke: The Image Maker -- Bogalusa: A Battle Ground Revisited -- Agent -- White Knights Of Mississippi -- Tommy Tarrants: A Repentant Rebel -- James Venable: The Wizard Of Stone Mountain -- Calvin Craig: Once A Klansman -- Maryland: The Struggles Within -- Bill Chaney: The Purple Robe -- Glossary -- People Of Klan Country -- Bibliography -- Index -- Illustrations Follow Page 112. 1. Entering The Invisible Empire -- 2. Dale Reusch: Tossing His Hood Into The Ring -- 3. Signs Of The Times -- 4. Bob Jones: The Tattooed Dragon -- 5. At The Filling Station -- 6. Robert Scoggin: Inside The Klavern -- 7. Ed Dawson: A Few Regrets -- 8. The Day The Klan Returned To Pulaski -- 9. The Poet -- 10. Robert Shelton: The Salesman -- 11. G. T. Miller: Taking On The Klan -- 12. Ira Dement: The Defender -- 13. The Birmingham Bombings -- 14. The Warning -- 15. David Duke: The Image Maker -- 16. Bogalusa: A Battleground Revisited -- 17. The Agent -- 18. The White Knights Of Mississippi -- 19. Tommy Tarrants: A Repentant Rebel -- 20. James Venable: The Wizard Of Stone Mountain -- 21. Calvin Craig: Once A Klansman -- 22. Maryland: The Struggles Within -- 23. Bill Chaney: The Purple Robe. Patsy Sims. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Traces the recent history of the Ku Klux Klan, looks at the viewpoints of individual men and women active in the Klan, and describes the reasons for the Klan's decline