Customer Reviews

Encyclopedia of White Power: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right

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The editor of this encyclopedia, Jeffrey Kaplan, has written several books that deal with the topics of National Socialism and the connections between the European and American fascist movements. While I haven't gotten around to reading any of these works, I did take the time (and spent a considerable sum of money) to read this encyclopedia on the "White Power" movement. What is especially interesting about this collection of entries and essays is that actual movement members and associates were asked to contribute articles. In all of the polemical pap on this topic that has been churned out over the years (such as anything Morris Dees has written), this has rarely been done. It gives this book a dimension that most lack. Also, the second half of the book contains several documents and tracts that to my knowledge have never been collected in one place before. Of particular interest here is the inclusion of the Deguello Report, a mysterious document sent to many important figures involved in the radical right in the 1970's. There are also several internal movement histories, the best of which is written by Rick Cooper. Cooper could certainly have attained a high status as a professional historian based on the research ability he shows in his written work.

Kaplan limits his scope by including only groups and figures that posit a National Socialist position or those who have had some influence in post-war National Socialism. Of course we see the names of William Pierce, Adolf Hitler, George Lincoln Rockwell and other well-known figures. We also get entries on lesser-known personas such as Harold Covington, Matt Koehl, Savitri Devi, and Colin Jordan. The entries vary in size depending on what influence or notoriety was attained by the person or group in question. Most of the entries are well written and within a few pages it becomes apparent that these groups and people are all connected together in one way or another. That is what this encyclopedia does best; it shows the webs that connect the National Socialist movement. One can see how William Pierce moved through Rockwell's American Nazi Party and through Willis Carto's National Youth Alliance to the place he is today; as head of the National Alliance, the most well-known, effective National Socialist organization in the world.

Some of the entries do seem to be forced, though. The inclusion of Scandinavian black metal groups had me scratching my head. It's hard to imagine that these music groups, who fused Satanism and National Socialism, could have much of an influence on international Nazism. I suspect these were included as part of Kaplan's stay in Finland, where he is working on a Fulbright scholarship, although White Power music is becoming one of the most important conduits through which new members are recruited into these organizations.

In a work of this scope and size, there are always going to be omissions. I kept wondering where the entries on George Dietz and Dr. Revilo Pendleton Oliver were. The omission of Dr. Oliver is one of the most egregious. Oliver has had a wide influence in the world of National Socialism through his copious writings and speeches, which often appeared in George Dietz's Liberty Bell publication. Although both of these seminal figures are mentioned in passing (with Dr. Oliver's name misspelled as "Revillo"), they both deserved a separate entry.

Overall, a competent collection that does serve an important scholarly purpose. Like any book on the radical right, many of the entries will be hopelessly out of date in no time, but most of the information in this book is timeless. The only drawback on adding this book to your collection is the price, which is a real wallet buster. If you're truly serious about learning more on post-war National Socialism, you should find a way to fork over the dough for this book.

This is a basic reference work but not the exhaustive all-encompassing "encyclopedia" that the title infers. You get the basics, the major players and oranizations, with a sampling of White Power written material in the appendix, but not much else. No photographs of any of the major leaders in the movement. No pictures of symbols, uniforms or flags which are quite important to white nationalists.

Yes, a good basic reference, but a very "ho-hum" "encyclopedia".