"The good angel of practical fraternity" : the Ku Klux Klan in McLennan County, 1915-1924.

Abstract

This thesis examines the culture of McLennan County surrounding the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s and its influence in central Texas. The pervasive violent nature of the area, specifically cases of lynching, allowed the Klan to return. Championing the ideals of the Reconstruction era Klan and the "Lost Cause" mentality of the Confederacy, the 1920s Klan incorporated a Protestant religious fundamentalism into their principles, along with nationalism and white supremacy. After gaining influence in McLennan County, Klansmen began participating in politics to further advance their interests. The disastrous 1922 Waco Agreement, concerning the election of a Texas Senator, and Felix D. Robertson's gubernatorial campaign in 1924 represent the Klan's first and last attempts to manipulate politics. These failed endeavors marked the Klan’s decline in McLennan County and Texas at large.