Presentation Type
Research Study
Release Option
Event
Description
In 1915, William Joseph Simmons restarted the Ku Klux Klan. The small organization capitalized on the fears of traditionalists Americans by promoting 100% American rhetoric and increased its membership with the help of advertising expert Edward Young Clarke. By 1925, the Klan boasted millions of new members and expanded themselves onto the national stage. The Klan established inroads into local, state, and national governments where many politicians gave their support. In states where the Klan was particularly strong, politicians challenged the Klan at their own political peril. This was the case for Georgia Governor Thomas William Hardwick. While in office, Hardwick established anti-klan policies as he noticed the uptick in crime and corruption when they rose in power. Throughout his term, the Klan worked within the government to verbally attack Hardwick and promoted his opponent, Clifford Walker, a Klan member, for Governor in the 1922 elections. Hardwick's political career never fully recovered and ultimately resulted in his removal from politics altogether. Throughout this paper, I will explore the origins of Thomas Hardwick's attack on the Klan and why it cost him his political career.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Lisa Denmark
Department of Primary Presenter's Major
Department of History
Primary Presenter's Major(s)
History
Location
Virtual Symposium
Symposium Year
2021
Defiance: Thomas Hardwick and the Backlash of the Ku Klux Klan in Georgia Politics
Virtual Symposium
