Fraternalism gone awry : the Ku Klux Klan in Houston, 1920-1925

Houston was an exciting city during the 1920s. The oil boom was in full swing, and as a result, Houston was transformed. An influx of people put pressures on city resources as well as on community interaction. These changes occurred within the context of one of the greatest periods of social turmoil in the history of the United States. Postwar America was evolving so rapidly that society was undergoing severe stresses. Disillusionment with the war, Prohibition, and technological change all played significant roles in this tumult. One would expect to see a backlash to this change; a backlash did indeed occur. The Red Scare was one manifestation of this reaction. Another was a general popular outcry against change. Seizing upon this popular outcry, William Joseph Simmons recreated the Ku Klux Klan; an organization originally designed to maintain white supremacy in the Reconstruction South. Reorganized in 1915, the Klan grew at a significant rate after World War I ended. By 1920, with the help of professional organizers and promoters, the Klan had expanded into Texas. The first Klan chapter organized in Texas was Sam Houston Klan No. 1, located in Houston. The Houston chapter grew quickly in both membership and power. In Houston the Klan assumed many roles. It sought to be a social regulator, attempting to enforce its own particular brand of social mores. It also sought to be a social benefactor, donating great amounts of money to worthy charities. As Klan power and confidence grew, it sought to become a social legislator by becoming involved in politics. The order undertook all of these roles under the guise of fraternalism. These roles, as well as the fraternal aspects of the organization, eventually gave way as the public became increasingly aware of the activities of the Klan and disapproval of the Klan mounted. Society's evolving attitude was linked directly to a gradual acceptance of the changes that were taking place within American society. Moreover, the Klan simply overstepped the bounds of societal acceptance. In attempting to explain how the Klan gained influence in Houston, this study relies on the convincing work of Kenneth Jackson. Jackson essentially concluded that there was "... a statistically significant correlation between Klan success and population growth." This can be demonstrated in Houston. This correlation between population growth and Klan success does not, however, explain what factors were behind the Klan's acceptance in Houston. Part of the goal of this study is to illuminate some of the reasons why the organization could take roots in HoustonHistor