Feildwork, Memory, And the Impact of 9/11 on an Eastern Tennessee Klansman: A Folklorist's Reflection

There is an old proverb that I've often heard: "Controversy sells." It is common folk knowledge today that the more contentious a subject matter is, the more intrigue it will attract. With this reality in mind, I wish to share a personal account of my first folkloristic encounter: the series of events that led to my choice of a career in folklore. While many folklorists may recall their excitement and fascination with their first informants and the unique narratives or artifacts that they produced, my tale involves near-accidental fieldwork in the company of a less-than-savory group in American society: the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Stetson Kennedy has long been hailed as one of the leading scholars on the history and culture of the Ku Klux Klan. In his undercover ethnographical foray into the underbelly of the KKK, The Klan Unmasked (1954), Kennedy infiltrated Klan society and acted as a participant-observer for more than a decade, all the while collecting valuable information on Klan lore, ideology, and activities--a dangerous task, to say the least. The book was originally penned under a pseudonym for his protection and wasn't released in the United States until several years after its initial publication. In his reportage, Kennedy wrestled with the ethical implications of publishing the activities of the Klan, stating that "the silent treatment is usually the best treatment" (285), and encouraged countermarches to offset any public display of Klan pride and an assortment of other "Klan-busting" activities.