Hooded Americanism: The History of the Ku Klux Klan

Rating:
Summary: Excellent history of the KKK.
Review: In "Hooded Americanism," David M. Chalmers chronicles the history of the Ku Klu Klan in all of its incarnations, from immediately after the Civil War to the late 1970s. Mr. Chalmers also discusses the Klan's development and success (or lack of) in all of the states during its strongest period in the 1920s to 1930s. Mr. Chalmers also discusses in great detail the turbulent 1960s and how the Klan helped inadvertently brought about the Civil Rights legislation it fought so hard against. Exhaustively researched and well written, "Hooded Americanism" is a factual glimpse into the life of a controverisal organization and into the lives of the men and women who made it possible. Mr. Chalmers makes excellent use of contemporary newspaper accounts and editorials to paint the Klan and its standing in a given community. What I found especially intriguing was the Klan's demographics. Mr. Chalmers presents research that refutes long-held convictions that the Klan was always strongest in the South; in fact the Klan, at times, ruled the legal governments of the Midwest. Mr. Chalmers also discusses how various state legislatures and governors fought the Klan or sided with them. Again, I was surprised at how many governments actually tried to curb the growth of the Klan in their states through anti-mask laws and other legislation. This exploded notions I had that the Klan was unchallenged everywhere it went, especially in the 1920s. Mr. Chalmers has written an excellent history that encompasses in great detail the 100 years following the Civil War. I hope that he is at work on updating this important work. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Good Resource...... but leaves a pro-klan aftertaste
Review: The book goes in length into the klan's expansion into many states and documents their success/failure and the general social reception of the community the klan was entering. The author though seems to have a pro-klan bias, and this is felt just by the title and the reading of the inside jacket. He rarely points out the evils of the klan ideology (through his use of words, especially omissions of such words as "racist" and "bigot", which many klan members seem to embody), and glamorizes the klans views on white supremacy as a normal, modern view of white christians (something very far from the truth). It glamorizes klan violence and threats of violence, and in more then a few places it accuses those against the klan as unpatriotic Americans, or ungrateful immigrants or minorities. Mr Chalmers also highlights community violence against klan activity as the real wrong and evil, something I think is a normal reaction to these "pseudo-chrisitan extremist police" who want time (and America) to stand still and unchanging for them. Some areas also hint towards the authors support for the klan's ideals. Seems like klan propaganda to me.... but a good reference none the less if you seek to journey into these dark waters. As a reference: 5 stars. I subtracted two for the author's pro-klan bias and (sometimes) unfair picture he paints....