Ku Klux Klan America's First Terrorists Exposed (Shadow History of the United States) [Paperback]

Patrick O'Donnell (Editor), David Jacobs (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 24, 2006 | Series: Shadow History of the United States

The aftermath of the Civil War saw the Ku Klux Klan founded as a white supremacist insurgency of former Confederate rebels. But the Klan saw its greatest growth in the first decades of the 20th century. By 1925, with a membership of about four million, it was established in every state of the Union. Fueling its incredible growth was a potent combination of public relations expertise and high-pressure sales tactics applied to the business of hate. Its sinister legacy still confronts us today. Collected here for the first time is a massive dossier of original source material documenting this bizarre episode of American history. Materials include government reports; long-hidden pages from the Klan’s own handbook; pro- and anti-Klan articles from newspapers and magazines of the period; and much more, including the complete text of Ezra A. Cook’s classic piece of investigative reporting, “Ku Klux Klan: Secrets Exposed.” All unabridged.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In KU KLUX KLAN: AMERICA'S FIRST TERRORISTS EXPOSED, Patrick O'Donnell decodes a nocturnal nightmare: vigilante violence, hangmen disguised as ghosts, cries for societal purging, night rides through the death woods with whips cracking and crosses burning -- more strange fruit hung by the KKK. This book rips the hood off and gives us the most crucial look yet into a national debate turned national shame." -- - Michael Benson, author of INSIDE SECRET SOCIETIES: What They Don't Want You to Know

Product Details

• Paperback: 334 pages
• Publisher: Idea Men Productions (October 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419649787
• ISBN-13: 978-1419649783
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #774,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am the author of over three dozen works of fiction and non-fiction, including The Mafia's Greatest Hits, The Complete Idiots Guide to the FBI, and Snakes on a Plane: The Complete Quote Book.

Other non-fiction titles include The Shield: Notes From The Barn - The Elite Strike Team Files, Best of Court TV Volumes I-IV, and the western Big Iron.

I am also a longtime member of the Mystery Writers of America.

In 2006, I founded a new publishing company, Idea Men Productions (IMP)- a media company dedicated to spearheading a new wave of mass marketing entertainment.

IMP Titles include: The Crime Doctor, The Monster of Frankenstein, The Zombie Factory, Klan Ku Klux Klan: America's First Terrorists Exposed, Tales of Terror, and Hellcats, Vixens, & Vicedolls: Women, Crime, and Kink of the Fifties.

Be on the lookout for some of my new projects for 2008 including: Convicts, Jailbirds and Reform School Girls: Crime and Punishment in the 1950's and Hoodlums, Hopheads and Hepcats: Rogue Males of 1950's Crime.

For both old and new fans alike, I promise a wild ride for the year including new visions of true crime, military intrigue and horror - so stay tuned!

David Jacobs
2008

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting as well as informative, November 22, 2006

By 

Robert (Utah) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ku Klux Klan America's First Terrorists Exposed (Shadow History of the United States) (Paperback)

Much of the material that I have previously read on the subject has been informative, but this book is unique in that it brings an unparalleled level of context in its presentation of period articles and other source material without moralizing or interjections from any modern source (sans the publisher's warning for the crude language contained in the chapters). Not only does the reader gain an immense understanding of the motivations and methods of the Klan's quest for social, economic and political power, but also how they were viewed (both pro and con) by law enforcement agencies and the popular Press of the day.

While the Klan today is a shadow of its former self, in its prime it was a force to be reckoned with (as evidenced by the book). American's would do well to pay close attention to the activities of such hate groups...so as to not repeat the mistakes of the past.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely powerful, December 5, 2006

By 

Steve (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ku Klux Klan America's First Terrorists Exposed (Shadow History of the United States) (Paperback)

Being an educator at the high school level as well as a Civil War buff, I generally gravitate to topics such as this.

But be warned, although this book includes THE KU KLUX KLAN, ITS ORIGIN, GROWTH, AND DISBANDMENT (penned by one of the Klan's founders), an FBI report on the Klan's history, and the KU KLUX KLAN ACT OF 1871 (the piece of legislation the decimated the original Klan) this book does not focus on the Klan of the Reconstruction era South. These articles are included to give the reader a historical perspective of the Klan before the tremendous rise (and fall) of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan of the twenties and thirties. This is not my field of interest, but finished the book nonetheless and truly enjoyed it - learning more than a few things along the way!

Divided into three parts, THE OFFICIAL OVERVIEW (law enforcement and the Government's investigations into Klan history and dealings), THE KLAN IN POPULAR CULTURE, POLITICS, AND THEIR OWN WORDS (nineteen vintage articles about the Klan's ideas and tactics authored by newspaper reporters, investigative journalists, as well as Klansmen - Emperor and founder of the Klan's second incarnation, Joseph Simmons' SYMBOLISM OF THE KLAN and Imperial Wizard Hiram Evans' THE KLAN FIGHT FOR AMERICANISM end the chapter) and finally THE KU KLUX KLAN EXPOSED (the complete text of Ezra Cook's anti-Klan tome plus a transcript of a round table discussion: IS THE KLAN CONSTRUCTIVE OR DESTRUCTIVE? - a lively debate between Imperial Wizard Evans and intellectuals of the day).

All and all, I have gained an immense understanding of the time period and the "shadowy influence" the Ku Klux Klan had on it. Whether a student of history, politics, economics or racism, this book should be on your shelf.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More fun than a gaggle of pointy hoods!, May 16, 2007

By 

S. Michael Wilson "A Strange Hero to a Select... (Phillipsburg, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ku Klux Klan America's First Terrorists Exposed (Shadow History of the United States) (Paperback)

Wow! Just when you thought you knew everything about the Klu Klux Klan, along comes a book that manages to drag out the dirty linen for a fresh new look. Exhaustively researched and painstakingly detailed, this book definitely delivers on what it promises to educate about. I had planned to simply peruse this book casually, and instead ended up reading it straight through every chance I got.

If your looking for a book that pulls back the pointy hat to reveal the face of organized bigotry and hatred, you need look no further.