Written by

Ramsey, Harry Kyle, American, 1884 - 1938

Received by

Avery, Burton A., American, 1896 - 1967

Subject of

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

Date

1928

Medium

6.1a (envelope): ink on paper with glue;

6.1b (letter): ink on paper

Dimensions

L x W (Envelope): 9 7/16 × 4 1/8 in. (24 × 10.5 cm)

L x W (Letter): 10 7/8 × 8 7/16 in. (27.7 × 21.5 cm)

Description

6.1a (envelope): An off-white, open envelope addressed to [BURTON AVERY, K-123 / CENTRAL SQUARE, N.Y.] with the following return address [RETURN TO / J.E. MACQUINN / 1325 MASS. AVE., N.W. / WASHINGTON, D.C.], postmarked, September 7, 1928. In the upper right corner is a red, United States, six cent stamp with a portrait of President James A. Garfield, affixed upside down.

6.1b (letter): A typewritten letter on Ku Klux Klan letterhead from H.K. Ramsey, Imperial Klaliff, to Faithful Klansman, dated September 4, 1928. The letter refers to an enclosure, a booklet entitled, Constitution and Laws of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Incorporated, which according to the letter, was amended at the Klonvokation. The letterhead has a top, center banner that reads [Imperial Palace / Imperial Empire / Knights of the Ku Klux Klan / Incorporated / Atlanta, Georgia]. To the left of the banner is an illustration of two hooded klansmen on rearing horses, below the Klan insignia, a white cross or “X,” with a black edged square in the center filled in with a divided black and white circle with [1915] printed on the white side and [1866]printed on the black side. The cross is surrounded by five stars and topped with a crown . There is a scrolled banner on either side of the cross. In the right corner of the letterhead is a triangle-shaped banner with the Klan motto [QUOD SEMPER, QUOD UBIQUE / QUOD AB OMNIBUS] printed t the top of the banner, above the motif of a winged, horned dragon. The letter text states [September 4, 1928. / Faithful Klansman; / Enclosed herewith is a copy of our Constitution and / Laws as amended at the Klonvokation. / Please familiarize yourself with the changes. / A copy is going to each Exalted Cyclops and Kligrapp. / Additional copies may be had by ordering same in the regular / manner, at ten cents per copy. / Faithfully yours, / In the Sacred Unfailing Bond / HK Ramsey / HKR/W / IMPERIAL KLALIFF.].

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.

Classification

Documents and Published Materials

Type

envelopes

letterheads

Topic

Associations and institutions

Fraternal organizations

United States History

White supremacy movements

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, A Gift of the Bunch Family

Object number

2014.258.6.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5b6cdea2d-03e7-430c-8131-5e1bf86fabed