Chenango Links, historical society to present program on history of KKK
NORWICH – Chenango Links will present a program focusing on the history of the Klu Klux Klan in the Southern Tier at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 1 at the Bohemain Moon.
Andrew Pragacz, the editor of the second edition of “The Forgotten Kapitol: The Klu Klux Klan in Binghamton, New York, 1923-1928” and the public history programs coordinator for the Bundy Museum of History and Art in Binghamton, will be the featured speaker at the program, which is co-sponsored by the Chenango County Historical Society.
While Pragacz will be focusing mainly on the second Klan’s existence in Binghamton after World War I, Chenango Links member Karol Kucinski said Pragacz will offer some information on the organization’s history in Chenango County as well.
Kucinski provided some history on the Klan in Chenango County ahead of Monday’s program, including details about the abolitionist after which the Town of Smithville was named.
“Garret Smith was the Petersboro philanthropist and abolitionist who was so important to the history of abolition in the country, and especially in New York State,” said Kucinski. “He was an important abolitionist because he was a local guy. He was also a candidate for president on the Liberty party ticket in the 1840s and 1850s.”
The program will focus primarily on the second Klu Klux Klan, which was formed after World War I and which differed from the first Klan formed after the Civil War.
Kucinski said the second Klan was not a secret organization; Klan members wore their hoods open and people were aware who were members. He said it was a legitimate and political organization, consisting of millions of middle class white Protestants who paid about $120 in annual membership fees in today’s dollars.
“What happens is after World War I, you get this eugenics movement: some people are different in their DNA than others,” said Kucinski. “And so there are superior people and there are
inferior people, and it turns out the white anglo-saxon Protestants, the WASPS, are the superior people.
“You get this movement to restrict, keeping out the ‘undesirables’ because they were different, they were kind of subverting American, white protestant ideals. And so you get the rise of the second Klan, which is still a terrorist group because they used some violence, but more the threat of violence.”
The Chenango County Historical Society will provide photocopies of authentic Klu Klux Klan documents that circulated in the area when the Klan was active.
CCHS Executive Director Jessica Moquin said it’s important to remember and learn from all parts of history, both the good and the bad, so that humanity doesn’t make the same mistakes.
A $15 buffet dinner will take place ahead of the program at 5:30 p.m. Monday. For more information, call the Bohemian Moon at (607) 334-9480 or visit www.chenangolinks.com.
Chenango Links is an open-forum discussion group of local concerned citizens. It meets every Monday at 11:30 a.m. at La Maison Blanche Bakery Cafe in Norwich. All are welcome to attend its meetings.
Pictured: Chenango Links and the Chenango County Historical Society will present a program on the history of the Klu Klux Klan at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. The program will focus mainly on the Klan in the Southern Tier from 1923 to 1928. Pictured here, an Evening Sun file photo of a blazing 30-foot cross near South Hamilton in 1979 at perhaps the last local Klan rally. (File photo)
Andrew Pragacz, the editor of the second edition of “The Forgotten Kapitol: The Klu Klux Klan in Binghamton, New York, 1923-1928” and the public history programs coordinator for the Bundy Museum of History and Art in Binghamton, will be the featured speaker at the program, which is co-sponsored by the Chenango County Historical Society.
While Pragacz will be focusing mainly on the second Klan’s existence in Binghamton after World War I, Chenango Links member Karol Kucinski said Pragacz will offer some information on the organization’s history in Chenango County as well.
Kucinski provided some history on the Klan in Chenango County ahead of Monday’s program, including details about the abolitionist after which the Town of Smithville was named.
“Garret Smith was the Petersboro philanthropist and abolitionist who was so important to the history of abolition in the country, and especially in New York State,” said Kucinski. “He was an important abolitionist because he was a local guy. He was also a candidate for president on the Liberty party ticket in the 1840s and 1850s.”
The program will focus primarily on the second Klu Klux Klan, which was formed after World War I and which differed from the first Klan formed after the Civil War.
Kucinski said the second Klan was not a secret organization; Klan members wore their hoods open and people were aware who were members. He said it was a legitimate and political organization, consisting of millions of middle class white Protestants who paid about $120 in annual membership fees in today’s dollars.
“What happens is after World War I, you get this eugenics movement: some people are different in their DNA than others,” said Kucinski. “And so there are superior people and there are
inferior people, and it turns out the white anglo-saxon Protestants, the WASPS, are the superior people.
“You get this movement to restrict, keeping out the ‘undesirables’ because they were different, they were kind of subverting American, white protestant ideals. And so you get the rise of the second Klan, which is still a terrorist group because they used some violence, but more the threat of violence.”
The Chenango County Historical Society will provide photocopies of authentic Klu Klux Klan documents that circulated in the area when the Klan was active.
CCHS Executive Director Jessica Moquin said it’s important to remember and learn from all parts of history, both the good and the bad, so that humanity doesn’t make the same mistakes.
A $15 buffet dinner will take place ahead of the program at 5:30 p.m. Monday. For more information, call the Bohemian Moon at (607) 334-9480 or visit www.chenangolinks.com.
Chenango Links is an open-forum discussion group of local concerned citizens. It meets every Monday at 11:30 a.m. at La Maison Blanche Bakery Cafe in Norwich. All are welcome to attend its meetings.
Pictured: Chenango Links and the Chenango County Historical Society will present a program on the history of the Klu Klux Klan at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. The program will focus mainly on the Klan in the Southern Tier from 1923 to 1928. Pictured here, an Evening Sun file photo of a blazing 30-foot cross near South Hamilton in 1979 at perhaps the last local Klan rally. (File photo)
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