The Klan Unmasked

“The Klan Unmasked” by Stetson Kennedy, first published in 1954, is a disturbing, revulsive book, and one that is very much worth your time. It is a story of a man who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan and other related terrorist organizations and hate groups for the purpose of exposing and destroying them. It turned out that all his efforts weren’t enough to put an end to their activities for good. Many of these organizations, including the KKK, are still operating, and their ideology up to this day finds many sympathizers. Kennedy did, however, manage to inflict substantial damage to their reputation, loosen their grip on the government and chip away at the legal foundation that sanctions the presence of such groups in our society.

I first learned about ‘The Klan Unmasked’ from ‘Freakonomics’. From there I also learned that Stetson’s narrative is a novelization of the events that actually took place. Most notably, he relates not only his own anti-Klan activities but also those of another man and renders them as his own. This departure from being a nonfiction account, however, doesn’t detract from the book’s overall power and educational value. It may well have served the purpose of providing for the most dramatic story possible thereby making the book a more potent weapon against the KKK.

Stetson Kennedy with the help of his informant was able to glean a lot of secret information and use it against the organizations he obtained it from. Most importantly, he outlined a ten-point program that can help combat hate groups. Interestingly enough, despite the claims that they serve a higher purpose of some sort, all of these terrorist organizations operate for financial gain and political clout. While most rank-and-file members don’t understand this, hate-mongering turns out to be a very lucrative business. This realization alone may suggest some constructive ways of containing and breaking up such groups.

Another thing that struck me while reading this book is how much of it is still relevant today. It’s not hard to draw parallels between the Klan’s past activities and present-day police brutality, inflammatory rhetoric of politicians and certain presidential candidates, oppression in all its forms and manifestations, modern display of the Confederate flag and so much more. The seeds that the KKK and other similar groups planted continue to give fruit up to this day. And it is our responsibility to recognize the roots of these disgusting things that find their way into our society and stand firm and united in our dedication to building a better world where everyone enjoys equal rights.