Historical KKK locations in Alabama research summary. We analyzed research using Saturday Night Science from the Virginia Commonwealth University that mapped Klaverns by city from 1915-1940. This report analyzes the locations of historic KKK organizations to see where they were the most prevalent in Alabama.
- The city in Alabama with the most number of Klaverns was Birmingham with 5 Klaverns.
- The city in Alabama with the most number of Klaverns per capita was Edwardsville with 0.005 Klaverns.
- There were historically 32 Klaverns in Alabama.
- There were a total of 24 places in Alabama with at least 1 Klavern during the period of reference.
Hate groups can be hard to measure because, typically, there’s no record of where they exist. But there is data on where there were distinct Klaverns of the Ku Klux Klan in each state. These cities have historically been the most racist in Alabama based on the number of KKK Klaverns.
This report does not speak to the current people who live there or the current state of the KKK in the same towns or areas.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
A quick history lesson on the KKK
What is the KKK? In a nutshell, the KKK was formed back in 1865, and there have been three separate movements, all three of which were supposedly ‘purification movements’ in America. The 1865-1870s movement sought to overthrow Republican state governments.
The second movement (1915 – 1944) saw millions of members of the KKK form, which was opposed to immigration into America, especially against Catholics and Jews.
The most memorable movement of the KKK started in the 1950s, which was involved in the Civil Rights movement and targeted the black population in America.
The number of active members of the KKK is much smaller these days.
The cities below are the places where there were Klans back in the day and where the number of Klans per the current population is high. This means the number of racist members of the community has historically been the highest, according to the math.
The 10 Most Historically Racist Places In Alabama
- Edwardsville
- Akron
- Louisville
- Pisgah
- Vincent
- Collinsville
- Florala
- Stevenson
- Luverne
- Oneonta
This report is an analysis of the locations of historic KKK organizations divided by the number of people who currently live there.
For more Alabama reading, check out:
Methodology: How We Measured The Most Historically Racist Places In The Heart of Dixie
While there are surveys and public polls on what places might be the most racist, we didn’t want to rely on speculation and opinion. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from where KKK organizations have existed.
Specifically, we analyzed research out of Virginia Commonwealth University that mapped the Klans in each area and gave a history of their recruitment from 1915-1940.
Using Saturday Night Science, we analyzed the locations of historic KKK organizations per capita using current population data.
There You Have It – The Most Historically Racist Cities In Alabama
When you’re looking at the places in Alabama with the highest number of historical KKK Klaverns per capita, this is an accurate list.
Below is a chart that lists all cities in Alabama with at least one KKK organization from 1915-1940.
The cities with the largest number of KKK klaverns per capita were Edwardsville, Akron, Louisville, Pisgah, Vincent, Collinsville, Florala, Stevenson, Luverne, and Oneonta.
For more Alabama reading, check out:
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Cities With Hisoritcally High KKK Membership In Alabama
| Rank | City | Population | Klans | Klans Per Capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edwardsville, AL | 202 | 1 | 0.0049505 |
| 2 | Akron, AL | 302 | 1 | 0.00331126 |
| 3 | Louisville, AL | 487 | 1 | 0.00205339 |
| 4 | Pisgah, AL | 802 | 1 | 0.00124688 |
| 5 | Vincent, AL | 1,850 | 1 | 0.00054054 |
| 6 | Collinsville, AL | 1,991 | 1 | 0.00050226 |
| 7 | Florala, AL | 2,210 | 1 | 0.00045249 |
| 8 | Stevenson, AL | 2,739 | 1 | 0.0003651 |
| 9 | Luverne, AL | 2,818 | 1 | 0.00035486 |
| 10 | Oneonta, AL | 6,623 | 1 | 0.00015099 |
| 11 | Sheffield, AL | 9,067 | 1 | 0.00011029 |
| 12 | Anniston, AL | 22,749 | 2 | 8.792e-05 |
| 13 | Bessemer, AL | 27,202 | 2 | 7.352e-05 |
| 14 | Jasper, AL | 14,247 | 1 | 7.019e-05 |
| 15 | Scottsboro, AL | 14,779 | 1 | 6.766e-05 |
| 16 | Foley, AL | 15,428 | 1 | 6.482e-05 |
| 17 | Athens, AL | 23,335 | 1 | 4.285e-05 |
| 18 | Florence, AL | 39,738 | 1 | 2.516e-05 |
| 19 | Birmingham, AL | 211,705 | 5 | 2.362e-05 |
| 20 | Auburn, AL | 56,986 | 1 | 1.755e-05 |
| 21 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 93,325 | 1 | 1.072e-05 |
| 22 | Mobile, AL | 194,942 | 2 | 1.026e-05 |
| 23 | Montgomery, AL | 204,095 | 2 | 9.8e-06 |
| 24 | Huntsville, AL | 184,132 | 1 | 5.43e-06 |
This is bull there’s not been kkk in Collinsville since the 1970’s I know this for a fact. So how much of the rest is crap.
it clearly states from 1915-1940!
I am a writer who lives in Florala. We disagree with the author of this article. In fact, my newest novel was just released.The Sanctum, the evils of racism through the eyes of a 13 year old white girl in 1959 who survives by her quick wit and the ever watchful eye of the black man who raises her. I think the writer of this article needs to do better research. Travel to each town. Find out first hand.
We really don’t appreciate Florala being written about in this way…..far from any KKK here, we all get along and care for each other….why post something so insensitive like this.
I’m from Huntsville, Alabama and this article is true. I’m latino and was treated as a second class citizen by whites.
I am so surprised FloralA was on the list, unless the kkk has gone underground. There was a group 50 years or so ago, but I think they have all died off.⁰
This list definitely can’t be accurate….Cullman isn’t included! Lmao.
Lol how is Akron racist? It’s majority black. Black people love white folks too damned much to be racist. If black people were racist there’d be a heck of a lot of dead white folks. They’d rather kill each other. I guess the list needed it’s diversity. Inclusion is a big with with the Americans these days.
All of this is very true!!!!!!!!!!
This is wrong more black on black crime and black on white crime happens in Alabama majority of blacks are racist most every white person is not. And the kkk is not active here
Its Alabama. It neighbors Mississippi. It has always been a hotbed, if not THE hotbed for the Klan and abject racism. One is NEVER going to be very far from racism in good ole Alabamy.
This is pure BS. You are ranking towns as the most racist because of how many Klansmen they had in them in 1940?! Seriously?! 80 years ago!? This is the kind of yellow journalism that is a perversion of actual, real research and analysis. The author of this article is yet another person that is responsible for the lie that the KKK is so alive and well today because they use data from 80 years ago to draw modern conclusions from.
Nick James, you should be embarrassed and ashamed of yourself and your lack of journalistic integrity.
I was born and raised in Florala and I am sure that racism is alive and well.