Bartoletti, Susan Campbell They Called Themselves the K.K.K.

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell They Called Themselves the K.K.K.
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2010 172p 19.00
978-0-618-44033-7 ms/hs E-BN
An introduction to the Ku Klux Klan from a social, emotional, historical and visual perspective, including many archival photos and personal narratives. An excellent source of information from the Civil War and beyond.
Profusely illustrated with photos and drawings, supplemented with primary source material, this engaging narrative of the Ku Klux Klan is more than the history of the organization, it is the story of the founders, members, and those affected by Klan activity. The volume begins with an introduction to the history of the 1860s, followed by a description of the supposed origins of the Klan. First-person narratives and political and social anecdotal stories flesh out the mind set of both Klan members and minority groups.

Powerful images (many from the Library of Congress archives), as well as excellent use of white space, and clear, understandable language, make this volume accessible to the most reluctant reader, while at the same time, earning praise from period scholars. Extensive supplementary material accompanies the text and photos. A Civil Rights timeline, quote attributions , a bibliography and source notes, as well as an extensive index complete the volume.

The only that my “inquiring mind” would have liked in the way of anecdotal information, was whether or not the Nazarine costumes of Semana Santa in Spain had any influence on the established Klan’s choice of costume.
Highly recommended for middle and high school social studies collections. One cannot go wrong purchasing any of Bartloetti’s book, and this is no exception. Naismith, Pat
Ku Klux Klan