TALLAHASSEE, FL. (WTXL) - They were once one of the most powerful groups in the country and possible the most influential in the South.
In the last 7 months there have been three predominantly black churches vandalized with the letters KKK and local neighborhoods picketed for recruitment. The Ku Klux Klan is not the super group they once were but their presence is still known.
At one time members in the Ku Klux Klan numbered in the millions. They wreaked havoc creating fear among all minorities who encountered them. Times are different now. And while their overall numbers are drastically down the group is trying to make a resurgence in our area campaigning for recruits.
John Johnson with the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan doesn't believe minorities belong, "Let Them Have their own area. We want to be separate from them. We don't hate them, we don't want to lynch them we just want to be separate."
Johnson says, the KKK feels all other races are inferior and that they have no place in the united states which is only truly home to white Christians.
According to Anginta Rosier the President of the Wakulla NAACP Chapter, "We are people and there is no room for that belief in our communities. We all bleed red."
Rosier, says, at least three predominantly African American churches have been vandalize in the past 7 months. The letters KKK were spray painted in black on all three facilities. She believes the vandalism was part of repercussions following racially charged posts on social media by five deputies of the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office.
Johnson says, they feel that what they do is God's will and follows the word of Christ. There are three distinct era's of the Klan, the first originating in 1865 lasting until 1871 formed by six ex-Confederate soldiers. The next phase 1915-1945, during this time the Klan was at it's strongest not only advocating violence against minorities but also opposing Catholics. The third and current chapter of the Klan, started in 1946, continuing today.
Much of the violence and hate crimes committed by the Klan, were with members hiding behind hood and mask.
According to Johnson, "We put on the robes to show all of our members are equals. It doesn't matter how rich you are doesn't matter how poor you are or how ugly or if you're beautiful. The robe and the hood is equality amongst our members. We're growing everyday. We are the invisible empire and we like to keep it as such. We are cops, we are judges, we are paramedics, we guard you while you sleep."
When asked, If you are so proud about it then what are you hiding from?
Johnson replied, "The government. I don't want the government breathing down my neck because I'm a member of the Ku Klux Klan. I don't want the media at my door step or at my families door step because revealed my face. I don't want to lose my job."
The Buck Lake community is just one of the areas around town where the KKK has been visible. Flyers were dropped off throughout looking for new recruits. It's the groups main avenue for finding new members.
Johnson says, "We don't actually target a neighborhood. Our flyer drops are one of crucial recruiting tools."
A recruiting tool desperately needed to recruit new members.
Mark Potok with the Southern Poverty Law Center says, "The bottom line is the Klan is not surviving very well at all. There was a time in the so called second era in the mid 1920's when there was approximately 4-million members of the Klan spread across the United States."
Data from the Southern Poverty Law Center says, the Klan's numbers are only in the thousands. But the fight to gain new members continues as they identify new targets.
Johnson says, "Look what's going on. You have men sleeping with men, you have women sleeping with women, you have men sleeping with men and then going to women, it's an abomination. And we are here to educate.Even in the bible it states bird of a feather flock together. I always like to say that to people because you don't see cardinals and blue jays having purple birds."
What does the future hold for the Klan and the Klan in this area? For Johnson it's simple, "We want to see this nation back to a white Christian nation and that's what it was until the Civil Rights Movement. We had white Christian men in power and that is hopefully our future."
According to Johnson at least one cross lighting ceremony is still performed monthly. He says, there is a planned rally in Florida sometime later this year.
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