On Labor Day weekend 1925, the Ku Klux Klan of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, held a huge demonstration in Harrisburg, the county seat and capital city of the state. Large crowds arrived to participate and witness as thousands of white-robed Klansmen and Klanswomen paraded in full regalia.
Newspapers covered the event as if it were a normal celebration of the last holiday of the summer.
The news article presented here is from the Philadelphia Inquirer, September 8, 1925:
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HARRISBURG VIEWS PARADE OF KLUXERS
All Pennsylvania Counties and Ten States Represented in Solemn Line
Klansmen to Stage Next Demonstration at Gettysburg September 19
Special to the Inquirer
HARRISBURG, September 7 [1925] — Klansmen from ten States and practically all of the counties of Pennsylvania marched for hours this afternoon through the streets of the State’s capital in a demonstration marked by numbers, massing of flags and the playing of patriotic airs and hymns by dozens of bands. It was the first time Harrisburg has had a Klan parade and thousands of people poured into the city to watch the white-clad marchers. No one was masked, but there was a great deal of solemnity about the parade, which was heightened by the hymns played by the bands.
All of the musicians burst into patriotic airs when the procession swept by the State Capitol. One of the biggest delegations came from Montgomery County by motor, it being estimated there were at least thousand Klansmen. More than 500 came from the District of Columbia, having a division in the parade, in which a massing of flags evoked many cheers along the route. Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey Klan units had distinctive banners while other States had small delegations which had come by motor. Among them were Ohio, Michigan and Connecticut. Many Klansmen from up-State New York towns were here.
Roam Through Capitol
Estimates on the number of marchers went as high as 15,000. As the parade ended the bands and units were led to the city’s big island in the Susquehanna Rover, where addresses were made by Sam D. Rich, Pittsburgh, the grand dragon; W. H. Chase, Atlanta, for the imperial officers; Dr. J. Tabor, Dallas, Texas; A. T. Carlburg, Pittsburgh; and H. C. Hartranft, Hershey. Mr. Rich said he believed every county in Pennsylvania was represented and that the demonstration here was one of a series, the next to be held at Gettysburg, September 19 and 20 [1925].
During the gathering at the island there was a series of drills, in which the Norristown team participated, and a review of floats, in which the “little red school house” figured.
The thousands of white clad men and women gave a picturesque appearance to the Capitol Park, which appeared to be the chief point of interest to the visitors, and they roamed all over the Capitol itself throughout the day, the legislative halls, Governor’s office and other show places being open.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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