The film BlacKkKlansman was directed by Spike Lee. I went to a screening and reception for it at TV Academy. Even though it takes place in the past, it is timely for what is happening now. You can watch the film on Amazon Prime here.
I knew nothing about what the movie was about going in but I’m glad I saw it because, in my opinion, it was Spike Lee’s best work so far.
The story of BlacKkKlansman
BlacKkKlansman takes place in Colorado Springs in the early 1970s. It’s a true story about how Ron Stallworth, played by John David Washington, became the first African American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. He infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan by calling up the local chapter head posing as a racist over the phone. Another detective, Flip Zimmerman, (a white Jewish detective) played by Adam Driver, goes to meet with Klan leaders posing as Ron Stallworth and signs up as a member.
Stallworth experienced racism in the department, which was to be expected at that time but went on to become a respected police officer after helping to thwart Klan cross-burning efforts. The film is based on his book, BlacKkKlansman and he was a consultant on the film.
During the investigation, Stallworth connects with David Duke who joined the KKK in 1967 and became Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (KKKK) from 1974-1980. He was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives and served from 1989-1992. (How alarming is that?) Later, he formed the National Association for the Advancement of White People (NAAWP)
Stallworth convinces Duke to come to Colorado Springs to attend his membership induction. During the ceremony, local members of the Klan attempt to bomb a meeting of Black civil rights student activists who have become involved with Black Panther leader Kwame Ture. (formerly known as Stokley Carmichael) One of the activists is Patrice Dumas, President of the black student union at Colorado College who Stallworth becomes romantically involved.
Racism is embedded deep in the American fabric
The importance of BlacKkKlansman is that racism was happening where you least expected it. Usually, when we hear about the Ku Klux Klan we think of the South, like Alabama or Mississippi, and not a serene and pristine setting like Colorado Springs. But the KKK was and still is active there as well.
The truth is, the Klan and other white supremacists groups are everywhere and have been for a very long time. Colorado was a hotspot for it, My mother spent part of her childhood living in Industrial Mine (Superior), Colorado, which is near Boulder. It was a coal company town during the 1920s and 30s.
Her father was a coal miner who had emigrated in 1908 from Ukraine, then part of Russia. She saw a cross burning in town as a child. I believe it was targeted toward Jews.
The history of the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado goes back to the early 20th century. At one point I was interested in writing a story about my mother’s experience in that mining town but never got around to it. I gathered information at the library in the 90s to learn more about it and some of it included the Klan presence in Colorado. I kept all of it in case I ever get around to writing the story.
In 1920, the National Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan met with a prominent Denver businessman at the historic Brown Palace Hotel to discuss forming a KKK chapter. Benjamin F. Stapleton, who was mayor of Denver from 1923 – 1931 worked closely with the Klan and appointed many Klansmen to positions in the city government.
Hate groups are everywhere even now
I was born in Denver but moved to California when I was 4 years old. My father told me that when my parents lived in Denver during the early 1950s, there were neighborhoods where Jews were not allowed to purchase real estate. My father was Jewish. My mother was not but converted later.
But I don’t want to pick only on Colorado. Despite its liberalism, California has more hate groups than any other state in the union.
In summary:
At the end of BlacKkKlansman, the screen turns to Charlottesville, David Duke, and the (now) former President. The connections will make your skin crawl. The film is an important work that everyone should watch.
Racial issues have been part of America for pretty much its whole existence. A number of US presidents were either supporters of, or actually in the Klan. I read somewhere that Harry S Truman was a member in the 20s. Although I recall someone saying that the founder of planned parenthood Margret Sanger was a supporter of the Klan and was very big on eugenics. One reason for founding planned parenthood was to eliminate the races she disliked. There are often higher numbers of planned parenthood locations in black neighborhoods. Although I’m kind of big on history and recall hearing the Klan originally started as a club for civil war survivors where they played pranks on each other among other things. One guy wore a sheet and scared black people and it snowballed from there. Nathan Bedford Forrest, a founding member, called for them to disband after they turned to racist activities. Also, they don’t just hate non-whites and Jews. They are very much against Catholics and Eastern Europeans (Like me and my Slovenian/Polish relatives) and the souther Europeans like Italian’s and Portuguese (like many of my close friends). There was this special on the history of the Klan on A&E around a decade ago and I found it quite interesting as a history fan. They were pretty popular in America well into the 20th century and only relatively recently became hated.
The history of it is intriguing, Chris. I also read about the fact that some Presidents may have been members. Our current President’s father could have been too. I tend to doubt Margaret Sanger was. PP is a great organization and has prevented many young women from needing abortions by educating them about birth control and choices. And, you’re right about the fact that they don’t just hate Blacks and Jews. They hate other ethnic groups who aren’t what they consider to be “white.” It’s scary that people like that still exist.