Questionnaire Sent To Prospective Members of the Ku Klux Klan (1921)

In 1921, white Protestants might receive an invitation to take a test to join the Ku Klux Klan. Presented as a fraternity of true American patriots who’d keep the country pure in the face of post-War immigration, jazz music, bootleggers, Jews, blacks, Catholics and anything else small-town Middle might be encouraged to fear, the KKK had around 1000,000 members. By the mid 1920s the movement was at its strongest with 5 million members. In 1925 David Stephenson (August 21, 1891 – June 28, 1966), the Klan Indiana Grand Dragon and head of recruitment in 20 further States, was found guilty of the abduction, rape, and murder of a young white woman, Madge Oberholtzer, a state education official. With such a prominent and wealthy member (Stephenson made a fortune running the monopoly of Klan clothing and took a cut of each new member’s subs) unmasked as a criminal, membership of the Klan began to fall, and it kept falling when Stephenson revealed the Klan’s grip on Indiana state politics and their racketeering.

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Dear Sir:

We have been requested by one of your personal friends to get in touch with you, and inform you of this organization. And, in view of this request. we are sending you this form. When we receive this with all the questions below properly answered by you and if same is satisfactory we will impart to you the information your friend desires you to have. Without delay you will fill in, sign and return. You will find stamped envelope enclosed for this purpose. Very truly yours,

KNIGHTS OF THE KU KLUX KLAN,

1. Is the motive prompting your inquiry serious? …………………………………………………………………-…
2. What is your age? …………………………….
3. What is your occupation? : ,.. ……………………………..
4. Where were you born? …… ………………………….
5. How long have you resided in your present locality? ………………………………………………………………..
6. Are you married, single or wido,ver? …………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Were your parents born in the United States of America? ……………………………………………………
8. Are you a Gentile or Jew 7 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. Are you of the white race or of a colored race 7 no
10. .What education!il advantages have you 7 ……………………………………………………………………………………
11. Color of eyes 7 Hair 7 Weight 7 Height? ………………….
12. Do you believe in the principles of a PURE Americanism 7 ……………………………………………………….
13. Do you believe in White Supremacy 7. ………………..–………………
14. ‘Vha t is your politics 7 ………..
15. What is your religious faith? : …………..
16. Of what church are you a member (if any) 1 …………………………………………..
17. Of what religious faith are your parents 7 ………………………………………………………………………………..
18. What secret, fraternal orders are you a member of (if any)? ………………………………………………..
19. Do you honestly believe in the practice of REAL fraternit:r? ……………………………………………………
20. Do you owe ANY KIND of allegiance to any foreign nation, government, institution, sect, people,
ruler or person? ………………………………..

I most solemnly assert and affirm that each question above is truthfully answered b~’me and in
-my own handwriting and that below is my real signature.

Signed……………..