Name/Title
BannerEntry/Object ID
2004.15Description
White banner embroidered with red thread with the inscription, "WOMEN OF THE KU KLUX KLAN REALM OF VERMONT / MONTPELIER" beneath an image of a cross within a shield. The bottom of the banner is curved and edged with fringe. The top of the banner is stitched into a casing, into which is inserted a painted dowel. A flat link chain is attached to either end of the dowel, next to the brass ball. To the center of the chain is attached the vertical hollow dowel with a wooden spear like tip.Context
The Ku Klux Klan was generally known for its racist beliefs and hate-filled activities against African Americans. During the 1920s it attracted members in primarily white northern New England by disseminating anti-Catholic and anti-Semitic materials. It's estimated that the Klan had over 10,000 members in Vermont during the 1920s.
This banner can be seen in a 1927 panoramic photograph of a Klan rally in Montpelier. The infamous rally was held on July 4, 1927 when hundreds of Klan members, many of them women, paraded through downtown Montpelier, ending up on a farm on Towne Hill Road. The Klan eventually lost most of its Vermont members because of corrupt national leaders, public blunders by local members, and continual attacks by the Vermont press.Acquisition
Accession
2004.15Source or Donor
Stone House Antique CenterAcquisition Method
PurchaseLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
BannerNomenclature Sub-Class
Declaratory DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsDimensions
Dimension Description
OverallHeight
49-1/2 inWidth
33-3/4 inMaterial
Rayon, Wood, MetalRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Ku Klux KlanRelated Places
Place
City
MontpelierCounty
Washington CountyState/Province
VermontCountry
United States of AmericaContinent
North AmericaRelated Publications
Publication
Homefront & Battlefield: Quilts & Context in the Civil War