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.
This post presents newspaper references to Lykens Valley area attendees at the Klan demonstration. It is not possible to determine from most of these brief articles whether the persons mentioned by name were actually members of the Klan or if they were simply attending as a result of curiosity. A few of the articles are from outside the Lykens Valley; they are included to show the terminology used to describe the level of participation.
It should be noted also that the articles are only from the digital resource available on Newspapers.com, which includes only the Elizabethville Echo and the Lykens Standard and the available newspapers from Tower City, Pine Grove, and Tremont, as well at the newspapers from Sunbury, Pottsville and Harrisburg. Missing are local newspapers from Millersburg, Halifax, Herndon, and Williamstown which have not yet been digitized and made available on Newspapers.com.
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From the Lykens Standard, September 11, 1925, “Wiconisco News Items of Interest.”
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Coles, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Coleman and son Bobby Coleman, and Clement Coles, motored to Harrisburg, Monday, and visited Mr. and Mrs. Israel Coles and also witnessed the Klan parade.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, September 10, 1925, “Waynesville News.”
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dill witnessed the Ku Klux Klan parade at Harrisburg on Monday.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, September 10, 1925:
Ralph Umholtz, Fred Hepler, Joseph Schoffstall witnessed the Ku Klux Klan parade at Harrisburg on Labor Day.
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From the Press Herald, Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1925.
Pine Grove band, with their natty uniforms and fine music were complimented very highly by the Harrisburg citizens on Labor Day when they appeared in the more than 25,000 Ku Klux Klan parade in that city.
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From The News, Newport, Perry County, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1925.
K. K. K. Parade in Harrisburg
Harrisburg and its neighbors stood by yesterday and watched 5000 unmasked members of the Ku Klux Klan pass through the streets in a colorful parade.
Except for the bursts of applause which greeted massed flags, or nattily attired Klanswomen, there were no demonstrations along the line of march.
Newport and other Perry County Klansmen were in the parade.
Crosses, symbols of the Klan, figured largely in the parade. Two automobiles carried electric crosses aloft. The favorite marching order of the delegations from the different cities was in the form of the cross.
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From the Intelligencier Journal, Lancaster, September 8, 1925.
K. K. K. At Harrisburg
A large number of the members of the Ku Klux Klan from Columbia and vicinity went to Harrisburg this morning by automobile. This afternoon they participated in the big parade and marched behind their own band.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, September 8, 1925.
Central Pennsylvania in whose honor the meeting was arranged indicated their appreciation by the turnout.
Williamstown with their junior girls in blue hoods, escorted by Klavaliers, passed in bold array. Lykens, Lancaster, reading, Bellefonte, Mifflin, Lewistown, were there in force.
Perry County Klan No. 27, of Marysville, brought their own band to lead their gathering. Lebanon was represented by several hundred persons. Delegates from DuBois, WIlliamsport, Berks County, Bethlehem and Beaver County were wre well represented.
Johnstown and Cambria County Klans were accompanied by the kitchenette band. Delaware, Chester and York drew cheers along the line of march.
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, September 7, 1925.
Two meetings were held last night at Island park, opening the biggest Klan event ever staged here. The Rev. H. C. Hartranft, of Hershey, addressed 500 members who attended a meeting at the baseball field during the early evening rain. “What Will You Do With That Man Jesus, Called the Christ?” was his theme. He was introduced by James Shuttlesworth of Williamstown….
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.