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- Description is exactly "There are reports in national newspapers of Klan activity in Florence in the late 1860s however the two local early Reconstruction era papers--the Florence Journal and Literary Index--do not report any of this Klan violence thus I'm inclined to believe these national papers got Florence, Alabama confused with some other Florence (we were often confused with Florence, South Carolina). To date I can't find any solid evidence that a Klan chapter existed in Florence before the 1920s, so the Klan violence that we're pretty certain did take place in Colbert County in the late 1860s was apparently perpetrated by Klansmen from Colbert or other nearby counties.
On December 1, 1922, the Florence Times reported that "the first demonstration of the Ku Klux in this section since the days of reconstruction [sic] occurred Saturday night in Sheffield, when fifteen automobiles, with covered license tags, filled with shrouded members of the organization solemnly paraded down Montgomery avenue [sic] in Sheffield, and through several of the principal streets. The American Flag was carried in the leading car, but no other banners displayed.. The only stop was made to give a donation to a Salvation Army meeting."
For its part, in 1921 city officials of Florence repudiated the Ku Klux Klan because of its secretive, vigilante nature, refusing to allow a chapter to be founded there. At the Monday, May 16 meeting of Florence's Rotary Club, "upon the motion of [former Florence Mayor] Hon. C. W. Ashcraft the Rotary Club went on record as being opposed to the formation of the Ku Klux Klan in Florence." Earlier, Florence Times editor Ambrose Camper had written an editorial denouncing the Klan in which he stated:
"This paper [Florence Times] was one of the first to take up the cudgels [sic] against it, and the more we see of its movements and effects, the more we are against it. It is calculated to do infinite damage to the south, and can be productive of no good, but of much harm."
The Florence Herald, too came out against the Klan, on September 23, 1921 stating that, "There is no longer any reason for the Ku Klux Klan in this country. . . . We are glad Florence turned down the organization--refused to have anything to do with it."
On a couple of occasions in 1921 groups of robed Klansmen interrupted the Sunday services of local white churches to make a silent "offering" of money to the congregation., perhaps in an effort to persuade parishioners to allow a Klan chapter to be founded in Florence. Yet Florence opted against the Klan in 1921.
Despite all of this by April of 1925 Florence Klan No. 37, Realm of Alabama had been founded. On one occasion it threatened local houses of prostitution to close (they didn't) but doesn't seem to have followed through with any overt violence against them. And it hosted at least two Klan rallies/picnics at McFarland.
It also vociferously protested when the Florence Klan was falsely accused of the violent flogging of a poor white East Florence woman, Mrs. Bertha Slay in July of 1927, as well as offering a reward for information about who the perpetrators were, which turned out to be five of Mrs. Slays' white neighbors (three men and two women).
In the wake of a spate of violent floggings across Alabama in 1927, including the Slay flogging, perpetrated by groups wearing hoods and masks, Senator Travis Williams of Russellville, in Franklin County, introduced an anti-masking bill into the Alabama Senate, supported by Senators William Mitchell and Representatives CW Ashcraft and RL Reeder of Florence, which would "take the hoods from gangs of men and women [including the Klan] in the state who have introduced the flogging outrage into Alabama" (a clause allowed for wearing masks at parties and entertainments).
Then there was the occasional Klan evangelist holding a "gospel meeting" at the courthouse or occasionally being invited to speak at a local church.
In the 1926 Lauderdale county elections Republicans accused the Klan of backing certain Democratic nominees for county and city offices. For example, candidate WF McFarland accused candidate Thos. J. Phillips of being backed by the Ku Klux Klan, and published a large ad in the Florence Herald asking readers:
"Do you want One of your Commissioners to be responsible first to that unknown element and invisible force known as the KU KLUX KLAN?
"If the Klan can elect Mr. Philips now, a year from now they can elect another Commissioner, giving them complete contrl of the City's affairs. Then your Board of Commissioners, your police force, and even your school board will be filled by the so-called 'Knights of the Invisible Empire.'
"Is this desirable for the large body of our citizens who are not Klansmen?" (Caps in orig.)
McFarland won the election however it was challenged by Phillips.
JB Holt, candidate for Lauderdale County Sheriff placed his own ad on October 29, stating:
"Are you awake to the fact that the 'Hooded Klan' is mainly responsible for the nomination of the present Democratic nominee for Sheriff?
In the state elections of 1926, the Republican Convention of Alabama opted to "avoid any and all references to the Ku Klux Klan in the platform of any candidate."
By the 1930s Klan No. 37 appears to have been defunct. Efforts to locate articles on Klan No. 37 or the Klan in Florence after the 1920s have been unsuccessful however more research needs to be done. It seems as if Klan activity after this time involved Klansmen from other areas."