When Easter in Fort Worth celebrated both Jesus and the KKK: It wasn’t that long ago | Opinion
It was Holy Week 1922, more than 100 years ago:
▪ Palm Sunday, April 9: “Klan Refuses to Disband” — “DALLAS — ‘We will stay forever.’ This is the answer of the Ku Klux Klan to Mayor Sawnie Aldredge’s suggestion that they disband, made at the conclusion of a meeting attended by 5,000 Klansmen in the coliseum of the Texas State Fair here Saturday night. ... The Klan wishes to work for better citizenship and 100 percent Americanism.”
▪ Palm Sunday, April 9: “Henry Announces Stand on K.K.K.” — “Robert L. (Bob) Henry, candidate for the United States Senate, speaking in the auditorium of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce ... replied ‘I am proud to say that I am in favor of the Ku Klux Klan.’ Cheers which lasted several minutes greeted this remark.
“Henry declared: ‘The Ku Klux believes in white supremacy. ... Foreign immigration has reached a stage when real red-blooded Americans should rise up.’ ”
▪ Monday, April 10: “Pastor Praises Ku Klux Klan” — “Rev. W.H. Knight was cheered by the largest crowd ever gathered at the Birdville Baptist Church Sunday night as he discussed the Ku Klux Klan, stating there is a need. ... Four Klansmen entered the church at the beginning of the service and gave the pastor, Rev. C.E. Matthews, a bouquet ...
“ ... In reply to the greetings, the pastor said, “I am, both as a citizen and a minister of the Gospel, a friend of the Klan and I stand for everything it stands for.’ ”
▪ Monday, April 10: “Jury Calls Klan Speaker” — “J.E. Camp of Atlanta, Ga., ... mentioned [Fort Worth] as a Texas city with a strong Klan, declaring that the organization numbered more than 6,000 ... it included judges, business and profession men, county officials, and ‘every preacher in town, save one.’ ”
▪ Wednesday, April 12: “Klan Defended by Electra Preacher” — “CLEBURNE — ‘The Ku Klux Klan is a power for righteousness.’ ” This was the statement of Rev. R.B. Curry of Electra, preaching at the Anglin Street Methodist Church. ... He asserted that immorality is running riot all over the country.”
▪ Wednesday, April 12: “Blames Democrats for Ku Klux Klan” — “DALLAS — R.B. Creager of Brownsville, chairman of the Republican State Executive Committee, denounced the Ku Klux Klan and placed the blame on bad conditions, caused by the Democratic Party.”
▪ Wednesday, April 12: “The Klansmen” — From a letter to the editor: “[The Klan] now have a membership of 100,000 here in Texas, composed of the very best white citizens of the State. ... They have nothing against the honest, hardworking negro so long as he remains in his place.”
▪ Maundy Thursday, April 13: “A Sherman Minister Writes” — “To the Editor: One thing is quite noticeable since the appearance of the Klan, and that is not so much daylight immorality. ... No man with a white life need fear the Ku Klux Klan.”
![Ku Klux Klan gathering of the Fort Worth Klan No. 101; Klan members in robes and hoods holding signs, no date [ca. early 1920s].](https://www.star-telegram.com/public/latest-news/4gpw5z/picture232025952/alternates/FREE_1200/klanhall.jpg "klanhall.jpg")
▪ Holy Saturday, April 15: “Republicans Do Not Take Kindly To Talk” — “ ... The view of National [Republican] Committeeman MacGregor, R.B. Creager and others is that if the Republican Party is ever to get anywhere in Texas, it must be made a white man’s party. ... Republican voters for the most part are just as opposed to the negro taking a leading part as are the Democrats.”
▪ Easter Sunday, April 16: “Women Plan Part in State Politics” — “Dr. Carrie Weaver Smith, supervisor of the school for delinquent girls at Gainesville ... said that if women really want to get rid of the homewrecking woman, not to use the method of the Klan of running people from one town to another, but to insist that Texas provide a place for her where she can have constructive treatment.
“She deplored the lawlessness of Texas and called it a sick state.”
But of course, that was 100 years ago.
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This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 5:45 AM.
