Fighting fraternities : the Ku Klux Klan and Freemasonry in 1920s America
Throughout the 1920s, America was marked by a series of fundamental political, social and economic shifts that defined the decade. The rise of the Second Ku Klux Klan was just one of the many results of the underlying tensions produced by the radical changes of the period. This fervently patriotic and nativist organization has captivated onlookers and academics because of its peculiar customs and its mysterious resurgence following the First World War. Historians have thoroughly analysed this groupĂąÂÂs ideology, and have presented detailed case studies of the growth and decline of individual chapters of this vast organization. The 1920s Klan has been studied from practically every possible angle. However, researchers have neglected to study the orderĂąÂÂs fraternal traditions and their relationship with other fraternities. This thesis hopes to address this oversight by offering a critical evaluation of the Ku Klux KlanĂąÂÂs role as a fraternity. This thesis will analyse how this order functioned as a fraternity, and how these traditions helped recruit followers to the movement. This study will also discuss how the Klan interacted with other fraternities, particularly the Freemasons. These two fraternities
Hernandez, Miguel
Ku Klux Klan ; Freemasonry ; Fraternities ; Fraternalism ; 1920s American History ; American History
Fighting fraternities : the Ku Klux Klan and Freemasonry in 1920s America. Throughout the 1920s, America was marked by a series of fundamental political, social and economic shifts that defined the decade. The rise of the Second Ku Klux Klan was just one of the many results of the underlying tensions produced by the radical changes of the period. This fervently patriotic and nativist organization has captivated onlookers and academics because of its peculiar customs and its mysterious resurgence following the First World War. Historians have thoroughly analysed this groupĂąÂÂs ideology, and have presented detailed case studies of the growth and decline of individual chapters of this vast organization. The 1920s Klan has been studied from practically every possible angle. However, researchers have neglected to study the orderĂąÂÂs fraternal traditions and their relationship with other fraternities. This thesis hopes to address this oversight by offering a critical evaluation of the Ku Klux KlanĂąÂÂs role as a fraternity. This thesis will analyse how this order functioned as a fraternity, and how these traditions helped recruit followers to the movement. This study will also discuss how the Klan interacted with other fraternities, particularly the Freemasons. These two fraternities
fighting fraternity freemasonry america throughout america mark series fundamental political_social economic shift define decade rise second many underlie tension produce radical_change period patriotic nativist organization academic peculiar custom mysterious resurgence follow first_world_war historians thoroughly analyse ideology present_detailed case_study growth_decline individual vast organization study practically every possible angle however researcher neglect study tradition relationship fraternity hope address oversight offer_critical evaluation role fraternity analyse order function fraternity tradition help recruit follower movement study also_discuss interacted fraternity particularly fraternity