A History of Home-grown Terror

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Year: 1925
Material: Photograph
Creator:
Collection: Spies, Traitors and Saboteurs


This photo, which documents a large Ku Klux Klan march in Washington, DC 1925,  accompanied a timeline at the beginning of the exhibit. There are actually a few timelines that educate the visitors dealing with the exhibit topic, but this particular one, which traced the history of the KKK, was labeled "Hate." The collection, called "Spies, Traitors and Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America," is on loan from the International Spy Museum.

The photo itself is very arresting; the juxtaposition of American flags and the Capitol (symbols of liberty) with the uniforms that represent prejudice and oppression to most viewers, immediately catches the eye. This photo, as well as the timeline, is important for everyone, and is especially important to Americans.  For over a decade, citizens of the United States have been collectively thinking of terrorism. The image that comes up is of a foreign, US flag burning group, who claim to hate America. This timeline shows that terrorism against US citizens can also be committed by fellow Americans, who claim to love their country. Most people would consider the KKK a terrible and racist organization, but may not immediately think, "terrorists."

To further emphasize this message, a sign in another part of the gallery gives the US Code definition of terrorism: "the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." This sign, along with a corner describing the acts of the KKK, explain how the Klan is a terrorist movement.

The exploration of history, sociology, and politics could shed some light on how such a group has survived for so long. I can not imagine that anyone would not be interested, or at least morbidly fascinated, by this photo and the accompanying information. Even though it is a story that mostly affects Americans, many people from around the world can compare the Ku Klux Klan to some violent and prejudiced group in their own nations' histories.

I believe it would be difficult to tell an opposing narrative about this photo and timeline, but perhaps more history about the Klan's origins and first person accounts from members could give a broader perspective. However, I also feel that the exhibit's overall message would even further hit home if it included more first-hand accounts of the KKK's victims.