Created by

Unidentified

Used by

Kennedy, Stetson, American, 1916 - 2011

Signed by

Ku Klux Klan, 2nd, American, 1915 - 1944

Date

1970-2011

Medium

cotton and rayon

Dimensions

H x W (hood): 28 1/4 × 13 in. (71.8 × 33 cm)

H x W (hood liner): 14 3/4 × 11 1/2 in. (37.5 × 29.2 cm)

Description

A Ku Klux Klan (KKK) (a) hood with attached mask and a (b) hood liner, belonging to 2011.144.2.1ab, a robe, worn by the Night Hawk rank officers, whose main role is to act as security at "klonvocations." The hood, mask, and liner are part of a set of Night Hawk’s regalia worn by writer and human rights activist Stetson Kennedy, who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s, exposing its secrets to authorities and the outside world. The hood is conical-shaped with a back flap with squared corners. It has been made from the same plain, navy blue cotton fabric as the robe (2011.144.2.1ab) and has a burgundy colored, rayon tassel attached at the point of the hood. Four (4) centimeter wide, round eyeholes have been cut out of the front of the mask.

The hood liner (b) is made from stiff white, canvas with a drawstring at the crown.

Statement

Objects depicting symbols of hate or related to organized hate groups may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate history and culture.

Place used

Florida, United States, North and Central America

Classification

Clothing-Historical

Type

hoods (headgear)

Topic

American South

Associations and institutions

Clothing and dress

Fraternal organizations

Men

Social reform

U.S. History, 1933-1945

U.S. History, 1945-1953

U.S. History, 1953-1961

U.S. History, 1961-1969

U.S. History, 1969-2001

U.S. History, 2001-

White supremacy movements

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Sandra A. Parks, wife of Stetson Kennedy

Object number

2011.144.2.2ab

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd59c7f9069-69f5-4e06-a006-54f8165c471c