Ep 3. Klansville U.S.A.

In season 27 episode 3 of American Experience, titled Klansville U.S.A., viewers are taken on a journey through the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in North Carolina in the 1960s. The episode delves into the history of the organization and how it spread to North Carolina, becoming a strong force that influenced politics and law enforcement in the state.

Through the use of archival footage, interviews with former Klan members, and historians, the episode explores the organization's tactics, such as cross burnings and marches, and their impact on the African American community and those who stood against them. Viewers are introduced to Bob Jones, a North Carolina salesman who founded the United Klans of America in the state, and his protégé, Frazier Glenn Miller, who went on to become a white supremacist terrorist.

The episode also touches on the political climate of the time, with the Civil Rights Movement gaining momentum and the federal government enacting laws to protect the rights of African Americans. The Klan's response to these changes is explored, as they fought against integration and civil rights, attempting to maintain white dominance in the South.

As the Klan grew in North Carolina, so did resistance to their hateful ideology. The episode spotlights the work of North Carolinians who stood up to the Klan, such as newspaper editor Pete McKnight, who tirelessly documented the Klan's activities, and civil rights activist Ann Atwater, who engaged in debates with Klan members and eventually formed a close friendship with one former Klansman.

Klansville U.S.A. is an insightful look at a dark period in American history, exploring the roots of white supremacy in the South and the impact of the Klan's presence in North Carolina. Through its exploration of both the Klan's actions and the resistance to their hateful ideology, the episode contributes to a greater understanding of the ongoing struggle for racial equality in the United States.