Talk is Zoom-Only with David Vermette
The Ku Klux Klan in New England in the 1920s
Speaker: David Vermette (Author)
Abstract: Most New Englanders think of the Ku Klux Klan as a Southern
institution targeting mainly African-Americans. But in the 1920s the Klan
was nationwide and enjoyed strong support in the North and West as well
as the South. In addition to people of color, the 1920s Klan also targeted
Catholics, Jews, immigrants, and organized labor. This presentation will
explore the history of the so-called “Second Klan” of the 1920s focusing
especially on the Klan’s New England chapters. This presentation will look
in particular at the conflict between the Klan and New England’s Franco-
American (French-Canadian) population, one of the largest minorities in the
region in that period.
Bio: David Vermette is a writer, editor, and researcher. He is the author of
the book A Distinct Alien Race: The Untold Story of Franco-
Americans (Baraka Books, 2018) (French translation: Une race
d'étrangers: Le récit méconnu des Franco-Américains, Septentrion, 2024)
and the blog French North America. His writing has appeared
in Smithsonian and Time. Originally from Massachusetts, Vermette is a
frequent speaker at universities, historical and genealogical societies,
libraries, museums, and conferences on the topic of French North
American history.