Inside the Ku-Klux Klan for the FBI

The following is a talk presented on July 30th by tact. Truth about civil turmoil a group which describes itself as follows attack committees organized in your community by Concerned Local Citizens for the sole purpose of helping their neighbors understand the forces that are using our youth our desire for peace freedom of speech and so-called civil rights to pit one segment of our society against the other in an organized effort to create civil turmoil leading to riots destruction and lawlessness. We ask all individuals to join with us and through education and understanding help expose these forces that are turning American against American. The talk is intitled inside the Ku Klux Klan for the FBI. It was given by Rev. Del Mar Denis of Meridian Mississippi. Reverend Dennis joined the Ku Klux Klan in March 1964 and in November of that year agreed to report information to the FBI. In November 1967 after three years of undercover reporting

to the FBI and the House Un-American Activities Committee he was called to testify as a key government witness at the trials held for the murders of three civil rights workers inched in Mississippi. At this trial seven people were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder including Sam Bowers the Imperial Wizard of the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi. Here is the Rev. Del Mar Denis about the next 45 minutes I would like to take you on a little trip. It's not the gym some of the hippies take it. It's a trip into the Deep South. And Chip into the Invisible Empire of the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi. It where sometimes deep in the swamps of Mississippi behalf cramped on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River on the Pearl River. Or some other location put it in Roby Indiana quatrain at the midnight hour. And talk about destruction and death.

I worked for the FBI for three years in the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi and it was also my privilege part of this time to work for the investigator of a House Committee on Un-American Activities which was investigating the Klan and which issued a report in December of 1967. According to the House committee and the FBI and then more than 20 different Klan organizations in the United States of America they reached a peak membership in 1965 of 17000 nationwide and probably much less than that today as a result of a House committee is investigation exposé and report only kyu Klux Klan movement in this country. Also as a result of convictions are part of the Klan members and officials for crimes that they had committed against Negro people civil rights workers Jews or Catholics. According to the House committee the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi is the most about and the most secret of all the Klan groups in the United States.

It was this organization responsible father triple slaying and on June 21st 19 and 64 of the Reserva rights workers whose bodies were found in upon them in the show began in Mississippi more than 40 days after they were murdered. This has been called the most publicized case in American history and it's probably also the most expensive. It took more than three years. Before anybody was brought to trial in this case. The cost the total cost of this case would have to be counted in the millions of dollars. And when that trial had been concluded in October of 1967 seven men had been convicted for conspiracy to violate the civil rights of these three bombs. The maximum sentence they could have received was 10 years in the federal penitentiary and a $5000 fine. None of them were found and anything at all only to receive the maximum sentence. And all of them are free today pending the outcome of their appeals. These

convictions. I could tell you how you get to be a member of the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan not because I think many of you would like to join it. It's exclusively a Mississippi organization. Even though they are some Klansman in more than 30 states now. There are a few in California and possibly even a few at this meeting. Some of the Klan an organization is our real easy to join. Because their leaders are motivated more by the initiation fee that $10 and the Klan views than they are anything else. Just two or three years ago a negro in Nampa Idaho Dylan one of the Klan organizations by mail. They just assume that anybody make application to join the queue Klux Klan must be why. Not only did they receive him into the organization taken his ten dollars but they appointed him kleagle that's a recruiting officer and instructed him to go out and

organize the Ku Klux Klan at home. Well he gave his story to the news media and when the Klan officials always picture in the paper they held a quick meeting and voted the man. But this shows you how easy it is to get into some of the Klan organizations this was not true however of the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi. You can become a member of this organization only by being asked to join. The group would submit your name or some individual would submit your name to the group two weeks in succession and if you were approved for membership they'd send somebody over to your house and. And he would never tell you that he was a member of the Klan he would say something like this. I have been invited to go to a client meeting. Now I don't know anything about the CU Klux Klan but I am interested in it add lack to go to the meeting. I don't want to go Bama say also if you will go with me we'll go over there and see what it's all about. We honor no obligation to Joe and we simply go and hear my plea here to say if we don't like what we hear we get up and come

home. And so you go along with him and you get to the meeting and they are perhaps 30 or 40 million sitting around and you recognize most of them you assume they're all there to see if they want to join the queue club's point. So at that point our three men come out in robes and hoods just like the one I have here tonight which I will show you later in the program. The man who is to be in charge of the meeting starts the program and having you to stand for a scripture reading usually the first verse of a 12 chapter of Romans. And then a word of prayer and pledge allegiance to the flag. Of our will is displayed the flag of the United States is on display in you right away you get the feeling of religion and patriotism and you figure this couldn't be very bad we do this at our civic club. So only makes a little speech in which he says that this is a non violent organization I bet you never heard that before. He says this is a

non-valid organization we are a Christian organisation we're dedicated to the preservation of the Constitution of the United States of America. About this time you smile and say to the fella beside you it's high time somebody defends the Constitution of the United States. Then there's a period for questions and people ask Will I ever have to do anything that's illegal or anything that's Amal or anything that I don't want to do. He assures you that you'll never be asked to do anything that's against the law. That's him are that's against your religion. Ari In short you'll never be asked to do anything that you don't want to do. And then he hastens to add that of course none of us are going to be doing anything that's illegal our EMR the highest honor in the world is to be a citizen of the Invisible Empire of the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi. Well he passes out application blanks and you look around to see what everybody is doing and

everybody is signing up they're very enthusiastic everybody wants to gel and mob psychology takes a face you don't want to be the only one not joining in. Everybody at the meeting couldn't be long so perhaps reluctantly you go ahead and sign an intern in your $10 an initiation fee. Then everybody stands up and he sways you in and makes you a member or a citizen of the Invisible Empire. And then while you're standing he says now all of you know members can sit down and everybody sits down but you. And you're standing there have been in fact a sudra which you are you feel like punching that guy in the nose it brought you to the meeting and he's enjoying it. Those are tricky but you don't need 6000 people in the state of Mississippi in 1964 or sworn into the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi. About 5000 I've I'm one ever active members of the Klan. Much of this was because of the fact that they were insulted the very first meeting they ever attended and you

know that would be somewhat of an insult to be tricked in to an organization like that right away you get to add here that these people are not going to play honest with you they certainly not going to play honest with other people. Interesting thing about. Sam Bowers the Imperial Wizard of the white knight. So you're not a native Mississippi and he was born in New Orleans in 1024. He came to Mississippi from California. By his own admission to several people had been active in the Communist Party since 1947. And yet he had been able to pull off this video of organizing an exclusive Mississippi organization. And none of the members of this organization for several months after it had begun. None of them knew that this man was from outside of Mississippi. They never stop to ask where he came from what his positive government was what his religion wasn't anything else. They were excited they were reactionaries

and they were anxious to follow the leadership of the Imperial Wizard. And while they spent a great deal of time cursing all the outside agitators it just never occurred to them that the Imperial Wizard was an outside agitator. He exploited them financially and otherwise took us on probably in excess of a hundred thousand dollars in a three year period. Now to Mississippi we say that ain't she can be anybody who could take 300 take a hundred thousand dollars in a three year period. He's got a pretty good racket going on farms there. He organized several front groups WASPy incorporated that stands for white Anglo-Saxon Protestant of course. Maybe Derby are the Americans for the preservation of the white race both these organizations were used as fronts for the white nines in the state of Mississippi. The most effective of the organizations which he used was one he organized them say office call the white Christian protective and legal defense fund. It not a beautiful name. If they are why I've never held any of those

public Rana's and demonstrations and marches and so I won't. They were secret in their meetings but they could hold a public rally and call it the white Christian protected legal defense fund. I've been in one such rally in a cow pasture down in Jones County Mississippi thirty five hundred people came Mr Bowers made a speech several people made speeches but he made a speech that night in which he said. We're nonviolent people he said Ladies and gentlemen we're just here to raise money for poor defenseless white Christians who are being falsely accused and persecuted by the federal government and then he passed a collection plate. Nobody knows how many hundred dollars he took that one night. You know up a copy of the Bible he said this is my only weapon ladies and gentlemen I am never armed. The FBI had a warrant to search his apartment they didn't find a big supply house. They found. Thousands of rounds of ammunition a Russian machine gun raffles and pistols. Not a real big arsenal for nonviolent

means. But reminds me of one of the nonviolent demonstrations they had over in the state of Alabama several months ago. They'd announce when and where the march would begin so all the news me and to be then I could get another good clear picture of a 250 pound Alabama state trooper beating a little bit beyond a previous nonviolent demonstrators. The TV man didn't lift and then you know they can't march without all the cameras of a are and so they came and the nonviolent demonstration started in the end the troopers were ordered not to stop at a march by force and so they were just simply standing by and nonviolent demonstration pretty soon developed into a rock and bottle throwing Nilay and people were being hurt as is usually the case. When the troopers was hit in the head with a rock and blood was streaming down the side of his face and one in the corner of his eye he said to fell a bit beside him you know them nonviolent rock sure do hurt. What we have in this country today ladies and gentlemen is a group of professional agitators

black and white who are trying to pit American against American and race against race. So that the American people we can be conquered by the enemy from without. That enemy has infiltrated from within and the enemy wants to divide us racially religiously politically geographically or in a way that we allow ourselves to be divided and in a way we are educating called us to hate and kill the job serves their purposes it doesn't matter in whose name or what name we do it. Gentlemen of the House Committee on non-American activities Ed Willis said just a few weeks ago there is evidence that the communist plan to develop the rats into full scale revolution. And that they are urging the US to use machine guns poison darts and hand grenades. The mayor of Chicago is said if anybody doesn't believe this is a conspiracy I can understand

why. And yet there are people everywhere who are saying there isn't any conspiracy. The Communists are trying to take the country they have nothing to do with have nothing to do with the Koreans or the civil rights organizations. They're not exploiting these groups. Stokely Carmichael can fly from one red capital of the world to the R and then come back into this country and people still say well I don't think he's a communist. I'm glad he doesn't represent a majority of the Negro people. He only has about 50 negro followers and 500 News mean. In media Mississippi in August of 1965 the body of a white man was spying on the car and the dismay of a heart attack. It was obvious that he'd have heart failure he had welts on his body from his ankles too as he had.

There was a hole in the top of his head. He had a gash across his face from his cross his upper lip until the roof of his mouth was exposed. It was obvious that he died of a heart attack. The story of the hand there is this. Here is a man who was immediately this illusion with a coin and who threatened to tell the local law enforcement officials what the Klan was really doing. They were preaching one thing and practicing another. He said he was going to tell them and they beat him to death. The model that story is you don't ever tell these crackers that you're going to tell on them if you don't tell them you just tell them. Because if you tell them that you're going to tell on him you probably won't be able to tell him. Sam Brower distributed a document to a Klansman in Mississippi in which he said secrecy is the greatest asset which we have. That secrecy must become second nature to all our members.

He said true sickness is a hardened mental attitude. It is mental discipline and necessary for victory. He said the very essence of secrecy is a deliberate deception. He taught members of a clan how to make our cocktails how to blow up buildings. They taught him that they should store weapons ammunition Underground be prepared to go out and get these weapons and this ammunition whenever he gave the order. He told them I want to get together secretly and in small groups and that planning and discipline our supreme leader important but guerrilla tactics must be used by the Klansman here in Iran. Freedom Democrat Party in Mississippi was distributing a document which said we have seen that rats and rebellions bring more results than none. We must get together secretly and in small groups planning and discipline are supremely important to every serious spider. The snipers in Detroit and

Newark showed high tech the planning and guerrilla tactics can be. Stokely Carmichael Rap Brown and Robert Williams of the revolutionary movement have all declared that black people in America need to become guerrillas also and that each gorilla should counter archaeology and enemies in quote. It sounds as if the same officer wrote both these documents and probably they did. Planning discipline secrecy of our hospital warfare one against the US. I wasn't. In Denver on the twenty eighth of April this year. On a speaking tour similar to this one I was invited to go to the mountain Baptist Church it's a Negro church part of a National Baptist Convention representing six and a half million negroes. I heard one of the finest addresses I've ever heard in my life Dr. Jamison from Baton Rouge Louisiana. I hope he continues to deliver the kind of messages that he did on that occasion.

It was a Saturday night banquet was being hailed where it was my privilege to speak to the group after his address and I gave the benediction that night but I enjoyed it so much I wanted to go back the next day and hear him again. I went with Jim Miller who is pastor of the Community Church in Denver. About three o'clock on Sunday afternoon we went to that church. Several white people were visiting that day. As we went in the building to me and sitting next to the back row turned around and looked at us rather harshly and Jim recognized them immediately he said to me see those two fellows over there and I said yes he said we are communists. And I said Jim you sound like a Bircher to me picking somebody out and calling him a communist. So there's I mean it was over a half hour not sure enough told him it was a birther and sure enough they were communists. Actually birches can't they all come in just by looking at them we have to hear them Talat

soon as the meeting was over these men rushed out of the car and got an armload of the worker and started to pass them out to attend them. It was a special issue all about Martin Luther King in which they said they were going to continue his great work. I guess the should he cared a zone for about 15 years. They said We represent the Communist Party here in Denver Post Office Box 55 in Denver Colorado. We want you people to join with us because we're the only ones who are interested in the well-being of the Negro people in this country. Pastor that church is from Mississippi incidentally. Sometimes I wonder what folks in this country do when. They had a big church you musta been from Mississippi too though I didn't confirm that. Came up to those time minister he said to them. This church stands here today as a testimony to the fact that we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we will not be followers of communism.

I think gone from him and others like him. But you didn't read anything in your paper about Dr Jamieson who represent 6 and a half million negroes in his denomination Stokely Carmichael a sneeze twice in a row there have been front page news. After that little encounter with these people they course knew that we were. I don't think they're actually civil rights but they sure said ugly things. And I said to him the biggest problem we have in the John Birch Society is what to do with folks like you when we win. And he didn't like that much. I mean growing up down south where we heard a lot about ACU Klux Klan we've been told been told through the years that in the past the Klan accomplished a lot of good things and I can't testify about that because I wasn't by. But we've been taught about ACU Klux Klan we've been told about segregation white supremacy

and a lot of other things. And I resent having people say to me that you want to do things without regard to race color or creed. Later Years Of course I came to accept bad as the American way and I've been going around the country saying almost the same thing but it seems that folks don't like it when I say it because I say it like this. The laws of this land ought to be kept without regard to race color or creed. Down in Meridian Mississippi the police chief Steve Roy. Made a statement seven months ago in each in which he said we will not tolerate a breakdown of law and order by anybody for any reason not in Meridian Mississippi. Klansman smiled and winked at each other they figured he was talking about the negroes. They continued their plans to burn Negro churches in the city of Meridian. They bombed the Jewish synagogue in more than $50000 worth of damage just about a month

ago. Six weeks ago in about two weeks after that. Police had been tipped off that they were going to set them off at a home. Mr. Davidson a prominent Jew in Meridian Mississippi. So they staked out their house and called them in the gun battle that followed keel one critically wounded three more. That's just about a month ago in Meridian Mississippi was in some of your local papers. Policeman white policeman in Meridian Mississippi a shooting Klansman. And I never heard the attorney general of the United States or the mayor of New York or some of the liberal crowd saying that they were too harsh that they shouldn't have shot these poor Klansman After all they're just poor people who need some anti-poverty funds and then they wouldn't do these things. They said it I never read it. These people are poor you know some of the poorest people in this country are Klansmen.

But up in Chicago when the mayor said we're going to shoot. Looters to maim and arsonists to Kiyo it was a great cry over the way in that you can't do this you can't use force. It'll make them worse. What we need more money give money to the poor people been extremely interested in the poverty program the youngest of my children to live in. Parents aren't even Catholic. But my father was a sharecropper down in Mississippi. And we were extremely poor. And we didn't have enough clothes we didn't have any money. We had poor housing. We had food because we grew it. Canned it preserved it. I still say that's the best laugh in the world those good old. Home grown and home cooked meals.

But we never did go out and run a burger on a looter spin you put our hand out for the government to give us again to get income while we work or not. We had a bad year we just prayed more work harder and hope that next year would be better and it usually was. Done Assaf we call him daddy. Then the program of his own is just like the one his dad had it's called work. There isn't any conspiracy Mr Danish They say that's what is said about Channel One day a grey one reformer's was going to do great things for the masses of the Chinese people in the press in this country was saying there isn't any conspiracy. There may be a few radicals and maybe a few right wingers they may be a few nuts like maybe Robert Welch of the John Birch Society who thinks the commies have anything to do with this uprising

in China. But the press in our country assured the American people and the world that there was no conspiracy just like they are assuring you today ladies and gentlemen that there is no conspiracy in the United States. The people in China wake up one morning and all of them were slaves and they still are. And I'm not nearly as old as I look but I can remember a man by the name of today are Castro you've probably never heard of him. He's from a little island down south that's even further south in Mississippi but it's uncomfortably close. He spent a lot of time up in New York and he was going back home to free his people from the oppression of that terrible old dictator Battista. Of course you have the support of people in this country. Or there were a few people who said that he was a communist but nobody paid any attention to it so he went on with his little war and he won with the help of this country. They flew him up to Washington D.C. That's the capital of the United States at the present time. We may move it south after the elections.

It was the responsibility of the vice president at that time was Richard Nixon to entertain that a doctor for they are Castro who was introduced on the boob tube to the American people as the great hero George Washington of his country. And Richard Nixon spent a couple of hours with this man and came out shaking his head he said that man is a communist. They found old Dick Nixon must of John the John Birch Society. But Castro flew back to Atlanta and announced to the whole world that he was indeed a communist and had been for years and he has been exporting his revolution in this part of the world ever since. But what did people in this country say. No conspiracy that's just what they're telling you now ladies and gentlemen that there isn't any conspiracy to take your country away from you. We had a preacher down in Mississippi who had a church member who was always urging him to get active in nampak

communist fight. The British said well just pray about it that's where yeah feel about it. Just pray about it. Every time a member asked him about it he said just pray about it. One day this preacher called a church member and he said Get over here the parsonage is fast as you can and he said the plumbing has gone haywire. The parsonage and water is running all over the floor and run in the furniture and everything in the house and. You figure that out in here. The member said Bridger you just pray about it. And he got the message. Sometimes we get awfully discouraged we fail to see the good things that happen. Things like Lyndon Johnson going back to the ranch. Even Mr. McNamara is going to the World Bank I understand he's going try to get financing for a new

Edsel. And I heard two little boys talking the other day sometimes these kids have a better understanding of what's going on than adults and one of them said you know Earl Warren resigned from the Supreme Court you know the little kid said Eunice and two of the birches were fixin to impeach you. We do get discouraged sometimes. But I have pains that pessimistic stage. I am optimistic because I have a vision of victory. And I tell these left wingers who are always talking communism to the American people that freedom is the wave of the future. During the Revolutionary War at Valley Forge or some such dark place about war one of the officers came to Washington and said to him General we're lost everything is

lost. And Washington said Sir you do not know the resources and genius of liberty. And if our own son of his man stood barefooted in the snow until they froze to death and wild hogs came and ate their bodies those who were left alone they followed on until victory was theirs and that victory was ours. And I am here to tell you tonight ladies and gentlemen that there are people in this country who are going to fight on until victory over communism has been achieved in this country. Thank. Archie Moyer Nigro and the San Diego Union later quoted in the Reader's Digest press section said the devil is at work in America and it is up to us to drag him out. Snipers and looters black or white and those who accept fellow Americans upon each of them deserve no mercy. I've seen almost unbelievable progress made by Negroes in the last few years.

Now only professional rabble rousers out here to the idea of giving up all you've gained to evangelists sale for Rome's done in the past. Granted the Negroes still have a long way to go but if we resort to lawlessness the only thing we can hope for is civil war bloodshed and the End of Dreams. No responsible negro won't see an army of law and order are the only age we have. Well. I would say yes Mr. Moore. Oh Nora the only age that any of us hail black or white in the American people are getting tired of Anarky. They're getting tired of people down in the Southland or in a place they also have under the hood to go out and KIO be destroy and intimidate. And they're getting caught up in the Big City is a start and steel and keel. And one of these days with God's help we're going to see any end to this era of lawlessness and Anarky and America is going to be restored to a place of stability

in a very unstable world. What's the answer to our problems. It's the same as it's always been. And it's so simple We've been overlooking it. It's found in Second Chronicles 7:14. If my people which I call them Amin will humble themselves and Pari and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. This is God speaking to his people in the day of King Solomon. And what he said to the MVNO will apply to us today. And the only reason God hasn't healed and forgiven us our sins is because we've not tried the things that he told us and Second Chronicles 7:14 the scripture says righteousness exalted the nation. But CNN is a reproach to any people. Ladies and gentlemen God is going to have the last word is not going to be these dirty hoodlums around over the country who talk about God being some of them from poor

parents and some of them from the street. God is going to have the last word no matter what any individual or group or organization say it is. It's not going to be communism it's going to be God it has the last word. It's not going to be Satan it's not even going to be the Supreme Court. God is going to have the last word. So I said if you were a pastor for 10 years Mr. Dennis you ought to be preaching instead of fighting the communist I am preaching Didn't you notice. In February 1961 at the funeral of Eugene Dennis no relation a man who was an official in the communist party and when he goes home all of the Communist Party USA said and I quote. I dream of an hour when the last congressman is trying out a death on the guts of the last preacher. And

since the Christians seem to love to sing about the blood why not give them a little loud. Slit the throats of their children and drag them over the mourners bench in the pulpit and allow them to drown in their own blood and then see whether they enjoy singing these mediums. He made some of that business when he said that. And when people like Mr Cruz Jeff say that they're going to bury our children our grandchildren will be raised on the communism. To say to me I'm with Garvey up their grandchildren are going to be raised under freedom. The lady asked me shortly after this trial in Meridian Mississippi when. Seven men were convicted for conspiracy to violate the civil rights of these three boys. The first time I suppose it was the first time ever that in Mississippi an all white jury had convicted members of a Ku Klux Klan for crimes against Negroes and civil rights workers have set a precedent that has been followed since the end. Other cases have been tried. The convictions have been obtained in state courts so

that now people in Mississippi in the south when are in state and federal penitentiaries. As a result of. Trials for their crimes. Lady came to me and she said I don't want you to get to heaven I am for the Klan because I am not. Rich and I just have to ask you one questions and when you do that why are you women and to take a chance why are you willing to risk anything to expose the Ku Klux going in and testify against members of the community or civil rights workers. So a lot of people feel like they just got what was coming to them anyway. So why did you do it. I bring my remark to a conclusion so that youll have an opportunity to ask him questions by saying even though this is not original with me this is my answer to that question why I had to do it. An old man going alone way came in the evening cold and grey to a channel and deep and wide. Though man crossed in the twilight by the sudden stream had no fear for him but he turn when safe on the other sat and built

a bridge to span the town. Oh man said a fellow pilgrim near You're wasting your strength with building here. Your journey will end with the ending day and you never again will pass this way. You've crossed the channel deep and wide. Why build you this bridge and even attack. The builder lifted his old greybeard good friend in the paragraph who said their followers after mean a day. A youth whose feet must pass this way. This Adam that has not been hard for me to that fair haired youth my a pitfall be. He too must cross in the twilight Dean I'm good friend I'm beyond this bridge for him. Thank you. Questions are now answered by Reverend Dennis. The audience was requested to write their questions down and to submit them at this point. Is there any truth in the story that the Ku Klux Klan has gone underground.

Into politics and business where they wield a lot of influence. I have heard this is so in California. Well the House committee reports investigation of the plant ended to cause the Klan to decrease in membership. What there is left of it is on the ground in some places. But at this point I would say their influence in business or politics is very small indeed compared to many years ago deer in the 1920s and early 1930s. My clients claim to membership of six million in the United States. Among their numbers they have claimed such dignitaries as Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black. It was reported that Harry Truman once was in it I've never been able to verify that or document it. But they did elect the governor of Indiana and the mayor of Indianapolis United States senators congressmen governors in southern states and some

states outside of the Deep South and were strong in California in those days. What is the significance of cross burning the Klan uses a cross to give the impression that they are a Christian organization. Nobody seems to remember when or when they started burning the kraals but they burn the cross on the lawns of people that they dislike. As a warning that they are that they have been placed on the plane's black list and then if they don't stop whatever it is they're doing that has incurred the disfavor of the clan and then they're going to get worse than a cross burning. What were the results of your testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee. I did not testify before this committee. I worked for the investigator in Mississippi John Sullivan. Who was working in the state of Mississippi for the House committee and the report issued by the House Committee in December of last year includes many documents secret documents and plans and activities of the

playin that. I turn in to him or to the FBI. So I helped them to compile this and I would suggest if you're interested in a few Klux Klan movement and learning more about it that you would write to the government printing office in Washington send a dollar and a quarter and ask for the present day kyu Klux Klan movement report by the House Committee on American Activities. More details please on activities of the KKK. The Klan those are. Anti Semitic anti negro anti Catholic anti foreign born. Nobody who fits into these descriptions always married anybody who is going to be a member of the white knights. And most of the other Klan organizations is away on this House committee report tails off burnings and beatings and murders threats front organizations black lists that are carried out by members of the Ku Klux Klan. They are a hate

group. They are all violent group. They're cited as subversive. And not by any stretch of the imagination could the clans of the day be considered an Americanist. Organization they are in fact an American. They claim to be anti communist and Christian and nonviolent they are in fact according to the House committee a source of distorted and false information regarding the Communist Conspiracy they are in fact violent. And I know of nothing Christian about them. Are these some twenty different clan groups tied together by any. Or books of instruction. The answer to that is no. There is no connection between the clans they compete for the same dues dollars. What are your feelings about Martin Luther King. We don't have time for me to tell you about Martin Luther King but. Mr J Edgar Hoover said that he was the most notorious liar in the country and I have a lot of respect for Mr. HOOVER.

What is the meaning of the burning cross I believe we answered that one already. How long have you been a member of the John Birch Society. Seven years in you. And what do you feel has been its effect in the fight against communism. The communist and some of their publications have stated that the only real effective anti communist organization is the John Birch Society. And that it must be stamped out so that they can carry on their plan in this country. So it has been tremendously effective it's growing by leaps and bounds it's becoming more and more effective. Was. It. What other types of Klan activity are you personally aware off. I just named the different. Activities of a clan a corner house committee and testimony in cases that have been tried. What percentage of the 16000 Klan membership do you believe are actually hard core working members of

communist for every ass compared to those who are just confused misdirected innocent lives. I say that probably not more than a half a dozen time used in all the 20 different Klan movements. With their total membership. Most of the members of the Klan are confused misdirected innocent dupes. It's pitiful really that these men are being misled in such a manner. Sam Bauer said to me on more than one occasion the typical Klansman didn't have sense enough to know what he's doing we have to use him for our purposes and that's exactly what he did. How strong is the KKK in Mississippi today as compared to 1964 plans almost none existed in Mississippi today as an organization as compared to 6000 in 1964. It is however Steele potentially dangerous in that it doesn't take but a very few men to do a lot of damage. But as an organization that's practically nonexistent in Mississippi. In the bondage of the free.

Stephanie states of the Ku Klux Klan started out as a good patriotic group and that Robert E. Lee supported it is there any validity to this statement. Yes there is validity to the statement the first Imperial Wizard was general Nathan Bedford Forrest. They had good intentions when the Klan began but history teaches us that very soon after the Klan began it deteriorated into a band of hoodlums and that the Imperial Wizard resigned and asked the others to do the same. And they did not all resign. The Klan was not disbanded they continued operate but it did start out with good intentions. To what extent do women participate in a few clubs claim there were no women in the white knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Mississippi but some of the other groups the largest one in the country the United Clans of America has an auxillary for ladies and Junior clan from ours. What does the Klan think of the John Birch Society. The Klan in the John Birch Society. I don't get along. Members are

members of a clan. Who join the John Birch Society or vice versa or dismissed from the John Birch Society. And the clans really the Klan members don't know very much about the John Birch Society in fact a lot of people in this country don't know much about the John Birch Society. But. The play ends up being anti-Semitic anti negro anti Catholic and so on cannot understand the John Birch Society and do not approve of the John Birch Society because the John Birch Society has negro members and Catholic members Jewish members and so on. Martin Luther King is said to have patterned his laugh after Jesus and say oh please explain this further. Thank you. Well we have to talk with Martin Luther King about bed. I never did see the see the relationship myself on. I never did see how it did. His laugh was like that of Jesus Christ. And I couldn't explain it any further because that's already has stood as far

as I am concerned. Here was a man who talked about nonviolence and everywhere you went malice followed and poverty was destroyed and lives were lost. And the scripture says By their fruits you shall know the special agent of the FBI wants told me that Martin Luther King was a mob degenerate and he knew this from firsthand experience. I never did know Martin Luther King. I never was part of the Christian Leadership Conference and he never was in the clique. How does the fact that someone went through CPA in 1927 prove that they are for sleeping out its Communist Party as supposed instead of simply a clever. Con artist. Hundred hundred thousand dollars in three years is pretty good tape. Well again by their fruits you shall know them not only because he admitted his time is to be asian that was 1947 nineteen not nineteen twenty seven that he said he became active in the Communist Party.

Probably as pretty successful con artist at that. But there was other evidence that was presented too. A grand jury that he was and he is a communist. Do you think it was right for arrogant civil rights workers from the north to go into the southern states and stir up trouble with the exception of the murders you mentioned tonight. Do you not feel Southerners have shown. Restraint under great provocation. They have shown restraint under great provocation. I think that civil rights is a legitimate cause every now and then somebody asked me if I am for civil rights for Negroes and not for civil rights for everybody. Not just Negroes. And we've had really less violence in the south they may begin to burn the cities in the South that I don't know they may start tonight but them burned any of them yet. And we have a better relationship than the press in this country

gives credit for. And in the south and people of both races have shown restraint Negroes have shown restraint in that they did not react violently when people like the three civil rights workers were killed and they're not the only ones who died. Negroes and civil rights workers. So the administration on the part of both races have any threats ever been made on your life. Yes there been threats Amani insurable. They are on identified callers. And unsigned letters and that sort of thing ever now being in the last year it was in December of last year somebody shot the wind out of my bedroom. Well to ask leave and I don't think that was an attempt on my laugh I think it was harassment. Like some of the hecklers we get in our audiences sometime. I don't think that it was an attempt on my lap I think I just wanted a man mean that there still are my own and and that they're opposed to what I'd be of course they're sworn have sworn to kill anybody that

testifies against them they say they will I say they won't. Don't tell me I'm down to do it if you know any. Around 1950 did the Imperial Wizard of the KKK Leo in Smyrna Georgia. Or did he ever. Well I don't know. I wouldn't think that the MP or the lizard of the white knight. In Smyrna Georgia but them of there are a lot of different Klan organizations and an imperial wizard may have a league of their own and might steal what factual evidence of a communist influence did you see in the Ku Klux Klan groups. I think I've discussed that. Been associated for three years with a man who had admitted it. Russian communism. Or do you mean simply agitator groups. What led you to feel they were communist. What.

Strange seemed to lead back to actual conspiracy that would come through the leadership of some of the Klan groups not through the members I'm say. In view of this damage back to the Justice Department employed a communist Jack Levine in the FBI and a left winger Nicholas Katzenbach as attorney general how do you explain your treason to the White race. That's a beauty. It's on its own. Would all of these open minded Birchers attend a similar meeting with Shelton of the KKK recruiting for his organization. And in this way hear both sides. Well I don't know. You'd have to talk to these open minded birthers and see I can't speak for but one Bircher I've been to summer Shelton's meetings Maceo and.

I know what kind of organization he has. Here's one assess white power. I read that so he wouldn't say that I didn't read his question. J.B. yes then in essence advocates integration and race mixing are all races equal. The John Birch Society in essence is not advocating a race mixing in a. Term in which this is me it a question Are all races equal. I don't think all races are equal and I don't think all individuals are equal. While in the clay ended you have to participate in any of their soldiers and if so what were your followers at the 10. I never participate in any about and so was always carried out by those who volunteered to do it and I never volunteered. What you told us certainly doesn't agree with the president's Crime Commission report. Would you comment on this.

Yeah I'd come in on it I don't think that I expected the president's commission report to say anything substantial anyway. They give lip service to doing something about crime and when they get ready to do something about crime they'll take the handcuffs off the policeman and left them in forced the laws of the lane. Why don't the police use more force and stop these riots when they first get started. Because in many cases they're not allowed to. It would be my. Answer only if the Communists are controlling both in their plan to promote a black white civil war in America. When some of their own be killed. Certainly I think some of their own already have been killed but I won't call any names. They don't value human laugh as you and value of human life and they don't manage some of their own get killed if it promotes the cause of communism. So what if a few people here and there or a few thousand or a few million for that matter. As evidenced by actions of the

communists around the world. Is there a central committee or council that director coordinates activities of the various Clemmens. Then we had a similar question that already. And the answer is No. They are independent of one another. No one what is the significance of the burning cross. I presume that you told the FBI has told you he was a communist. If so why hasn't something been done about it. We have to remember that the FBI is an investigative organization only. That they gather information. That they are the brains of the Justice Department. And the FBI turns this information over the Justice Department and they can do whatever with it they won't do unfortunately. The Justice Department has not chosen to be in the anti-communist business no matter how. Effective the FBI has been in reporting on activities of the common used in any organization the Justice Department unfortunately has not done anything about.

I certainly wish they would. That day is not the responsibility of the FBI to do anything further than investigate and make these reports. Why haven't we heard of the communist influence in the clay and in our newspapers. Well one newspaper locally did give a story about there was a big Berkeley daily visit. But most of them don't for the simple reason that the newspaper is not in the anti-communist business anymore. I think it's a result probably is. Probably. I was out of managed news for about 25 years. Are you a John Bircher member. I already answered there. If so did the FBI know this when they hired you to infiltrate the clay and yet the FBI knew it they knew things about the guy. They did know it and they said we're not in very investigating the John Birch Society we only investigate subversive organizations. I wish they would investigate the John Birch

Society I wish everybody would. If so many organizations have been infiltrated by a communist. How do we know that the Birchers have not been infiltrated to set us against the more liberal Americans. Sand the liberal refugee from communist countries. Well I certainly would not claim that the birthers have not been infiltrated by the Communists there may be a few somewhere who have joined the John Birch Society somewhere it's not that difficult to get into the society. But if they're in there they have not influenced the policies of the John Birch Society because the government's not set up in such a manner in the end that is the government of the John Birch Society is not set up in such a way as to call on the members to tell them what policies they should follow and no matter how many people have joined the John Birch Society who are common if they are any. And they cannot influence the policies of the John Birch Society. As far as a question and dealing with whether or not they set us against the more

liberal Americans it's the more liberal Americans who are set against us I think that's been quite evident here tonight. I want to put on this Robin Hood for just. Briefly and then our time will be. I thought some of you might be interested in seeing a white knight robe and hood. I was in Denver Colorado at one of the scoot was an integrated school and one of the negro boys came bouncing into the room about the time the bell rang and he saw this plane land on the desk and he had second thoughts about whether or not he'd stay for that place. And then Nanny summoned up a little more courage and he came over and he put it on and. He put on a hood and he looked through those holes in the hood and he looked down and I'm sad and he said you know I just don't look the part. They sell these for $10 apiece it cost them about $3 to make them. I was in Logan Utah making a speech a couple of months ago when a man got up out in the audience and

shouted and defended the Klan said he'd been a member of it for 40 years. It was for white supremacy and he and same thing wrong with it. So after he defended the Klan we finally got him quietened them. I showed the hood in the road. So we spoke up again he said that's it that's it that's just white man and. I said How much did yours cost. He said $5. And I said well you know I figured I had in the end I said a man Castine him. He said ain't no better man that's just inflation. It's going to spook you sometime down the Mississippi one of these things on. The back they get spooked at each other I've seen them leave the woods and I see. I saw a cartoon one time had about have been planned and standing around in robes and hoods and

everybody had a gun on everybody else's white knights always bleeding care no guns. I don't ever want to imagine one. Organizations of them took up a collection and bought me one and I carried it for three years to protect myself from the people that gave it to me. Garton Joe the group I'm standing around in the hoods and robes and everybody had a gun and everybody else in the caption said You mean we're all FBI agents. I had. Private school one time during school season I was speaking to a group of kids and all of the kids started lining up to get my autograph. And I knew something was wrong because usually just not that many people ask for. So they were just manned up waiting late for the next class and all of this stuff and I could stand it no longer and I asked one of the kids about and I said I don't know why all of you want him out a graph I said after all my autograph isn't worth much.

And he said it will be one o'clock. Then. They'd pass the word that you better get my vote because he may not be back in town anymore. With very few exceptions you've been a very fine audience thank you and God bless you. This has been a talking titled Inside the Ku Klux Klan for the FBI sponsored by tact truth about civil turmoil. And given on July 30th by Rev. Del Mar Dennis of Meridian Mississippi.