Finger Lakes Klansmen: How the Ku Klux Klan Spread Their Invisible Empire in Upstate New York

Authors

Mary Givens, Binghamton University--SUNY

Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Book

Description

In the early 1920s, the second incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan attracted millions of adherents and was one of the largest and most visible organizations in America. Scholars have written about the Klan’s activities in New York City, Buffalo, and Binghamton, but little is known about their presence in the Finger Lakes. By examining historic newspapers published in Finger Lakes communities as well as Klan publications like the newspaper Vigilance, this research will show that the region was not immune to the KKK revival. This research will try to determine who supported the Klan and why, uncover the range of Klan activities, and highlight localized Klan opposition. This project will draw on specific Klan events such as parades, meetings, and cross burnings, all being used to prove that the KKK maintained a dominant presence within communities across the Finger Lakes.

Files

Recommended Citation

Givens, Mary, "Finger Lakes Klansmen: How the Ku Klux Klan Spread Their Invisible Empire in Upstate New York" (2024). Research Days Posters 2024. 78.
https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/78