- Written by
- Tourgée, Albion W., American, 1838 - 1905
- Subject of
- Ku Klux Klan, 1st, American, 1865 - 1872
- Date
- 1879; published 1880
- Medium
- ink on paper (fiber product)
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (closed): 7 13/16 × 5 7/8 × 1 5/8 in. (19.8 × 15 × 4.1 cm)
- H x W x D (open): 7 13/16 × 9 7/8 × 1 5/8 in. (19.8 × 25.1 × 4.1 cm)
- Caption
- Albion W. Tourgée, a white attorney and U.S. Army veteran from Ohio, moved to North Carolina in 1865. He entered politics as a supporter of African American civil rights and was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan. After he returned North in 1879, he published this account of the Klan’s terrorist activities.
- Description
- A hardcover 1880 illustrated edition of The Invisible Empire, by Albion W. Tourge´e, including both Part I: A Fool's Errand and Part II: A Concise Review of Recent Events. The book has a brown cover with black text and designs. The spine reads [THE INVISIBLE EMPIRE] in gold and [TOURGEE] in black. At the top is an illustration of a palm tree and at center is another botanical design, both in black. The publisher's logo is at the bottom [HFH] over an ampersand at the center. The front cover has [THE INVISBLE EMPIRE / TOURGEE] in black, with the "T" of "the" appearing as a palm tree. The cover design also features palm fronds at top left and top right, extending from a half circle with geometric motifs. The volume begins with a message from the publishers, Fords, Howard, and Hulbert, and four pages of extracts from press notices for "A Fool's Errand. By One of the Fools."
- Opposite the title page is an illustration titled [THE RIDE FOR LIFE.] depicting a female figure on horseback firing a pistol at a hooded figure on hooded horse. The title page reds [THE INVISBLE EMPIRE: Part I. / A NEW ILLUSTRATED, AND ENLARGED / EDITION OF / A FOOL'S ERRAND, / BY ONE OF THE FOOLS; / THE FAMOUS HISTORICAL ROMANCE OF / LIFE IN THE SOUTH SINCE THE WAR. / PART II. / A CONCISE REVIEW OF RECENT EVENTS, / SHOWING / The Element on which Tale is based, with many Thrilling / Personal Narratives and other Startling Facts and Con- / siderations, including an Account of the Rise, Extent, / Purpose, Methods, and Deeds of the Mysterious Ku-Klux Klan; / ALL FULLY AUTHENTICATED. / BY / ALBION W. TOURGEE, / LATE JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA, AUTHOR OF "THE / CODE WITH NOTES," "DIGEST OF CITED CASES," "TOINTETTE," / "FIGS AND THISTLES," ETC. / TWO PARTS COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME. / Illustrated Edition. / SOLD ONLY BY SUBSCRIPTION. / NEW YORK: FORDS, HOWARD, & HULBERT. / W.H. THOMPSON & CO., BOSTON; WESTON HULBERT, CHICAGO; / SCAMMELL & CO., ST. LOUIS; A.L. BANCROFT & CO., San Francisco.].
- The volume continues with a Table of Contents and a list of the sixteen (16) illustrations that appear throughout the book, before beginning with the text of Part I. There is no printing on the back cover.
- 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 depicted
- United States, North and Central America
- Collection title
- Stanley Turkel's Collection of Reconstruction Era Materials
- Classification
- Library Collections
- Books and Published Materials
- Type
- hardcover books
- Topic
- American South
- Politics
- Reconstruction, U.S. History, 1865-1877
- Slavery
- Violence
- White supremacy movements
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Stanley Turkel's Collection of Reconstruction Era Materials
- Object number
- 2012.160.177
- Restrictions & Rights
- No Known Copyright Restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




