Wanted for Dead — Stetson Kennedy and his Rifle.Stetson Kennedy probably isn’t well know
Wanted for Dead — Stetson Kennedy and his Rifle.Stetson Kennedy probably isn’t well known today but in the 50’s he was famous as an ardent civil rights proponent who opposed segregation and Jim Crow Laws. In 1954 he wrote the book “The Klan Unmasked”, an expose of the Ku Klux Klan and their attrocites. Kennedy and a fellow colleague successfully infiltrated a Klan group as well as a Neo-Nazi group. The book details their experiences.During that time the Klan was seen by many Americans as a patriotic or community oriented group. Many did not know of the violence and hatred that was perpetrated by the Klan. “The Klan Unmasked"bared in plain view violent acts commited by the KKK and its effects were felt widely. Many businesses and corporations withdrew their financial support for the Klan as a result, and the state of Georgia revoked the Klan’s state charter. Kennedy, in the meantime, went on a speaking tour across the country, wearing his Klan robes and detailing his experiences. Of course, the folks of the KKK were not very happy about this. Kennedy received several death threats, his house was set on fire twice, and his dog was killed. Kennedy’s good friend, folk singer Woody Guthrie, gave him a Vetterli rifle to be used just in case the Klan paid a visit. Guthrie trained him how to fire the rifle until Kennedy was able to consistently hit a one gallon jug at 100 yards. Fortunatly he would never have to put his rifle to use. In 2002 Kennedy met with Arlo Guthrie, Woody Guthrie’s son, and presented him with his father’s Vetterli rifle. Stestson Kennedy passed away in 2011 at the age of 94. -- source link
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