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Sept. 5 progam at PCPL to address KKK legacy

Friday, August 24, 2018

The Ku Klux Klan’s long history of hate has played a role in U.S. history and in the history of Indiana. Echoes of its ideology and symbolism can be found across the globe.

On Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Putnam County Library, the Greencastle League of Women Voters and Putnam County Greater Good will host the free public program, “Legacies of Hate: The Klan in Historical Perspective.”

Four members of the DePauw University History Department, Julia Bruggemann, Robert Dewey, David Gellman and Sarah Rowley, will make brief presentations on different aspects of this white supremacist organization and its tactics of intimidation and terror.

Focusing on the U.S., Gellman will discuss the rise and fall of the first Ku Klux Klan in the post-Civil War South, and Rowley will present information on the Klan’s rise and fall in 1920s Indiana.

Dewey will share his surprising findings on the spread of the Klan to the South Pacific, while Bruggemann will add a comparative dimension to the conversation by discussing reverberations of Nazi ideas and symbols in contemporary times.

There will be time for audience questions, comments and dialogue.

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  • It's a no from me, a FIRM no.

    -- Posted by BlackBarbie22 on Fri, Aug 24, 2018, at 10:38 PM

  • Ugh! Always concerned about these. Often, it becomes a rewriting of history.

    After the Civil War, the original KKK was about Wxxx Sxxxx, which I am reluctant to type as it is absurd. However, the resurrection of the KKK in the 1920's particularly in Indiana was very anti-immigrant and well as anti-Black. Big concerns by existing White Protestants about the huge influx of Irish, Italians, etc. and a fear that these immigrants would take jobs.

    Not discounting the shameful cross burnings and worse, hangings of which there are photos. Very easy to document that these were against our Black Brothers.

    -- Posted by letspulltogether on Sat, Aug 25, 2018, at 8:22 AM

  • WHY? I certainly don't seeing anything good coming our of this!!

    -- Posted by Falcon9 on Sat, Aug 25, 2018, at 9:58 AM

  • Hate groups continue to expand their reach in our country. The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 954 groups as hate groups. There is value in knowing and understanding our history as we work to fight back against the hate and racism that is thriving here in the United States.

    -- Posted by Rockypenguin on Sat, Aug 25, 2018, at 11:47 AM

  • Rockypenguin - the SPLC is a joke of a resource. Their identification of a "hate group" is any group, or person, that they don't like and with whom they disagree. The list of 954 is greatly inflated - often showing multiple chapters of the same organization and other cross-overs. Also keep in mind that they have been sued, successfully, several times for their antics.

    As for The League of Women Voter's - they are a leftist agit-prop organization. whose motives should be thoroughly scrutinized by any reasonable person.

    However, if they want to hold a community dialogue - lets do it. There is nothing wrong with learning a little history.

    Please let me know when the next one is as well... the program at PCPL where the legacy of black nationalism, the Black Panthers (old & new), and the Nation of Islam are discussed?

    -- Posted by AverageWhiteGuy on Mon, Aug 27, 2018, at 11:27 AM

  • I appreciate League of Women Voter's sponsoring this event; however, I cringe at the title. As an Activist, I try not to use the H - - - - word. It inspires strong emotions in ALL of us and is not conducive to healing dialogue. Labeling those who disagree with us is divisive, and too common a practice these days. H - - - - arises from fear, disconnection, and pain. (Only frightened Animals attack.) All of us fear the unfamiliar on some level; labeling "casts the first stone" of condemnation and sets a violent tone which might keep some people away who really need to learn this tragic story. I hope this discussing will bring healing not more divisiveness.

    -- Posted by harveymarian@yahoo.com on Tue, Sep 4, 2018, at 5:31 PM
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