Tuesday, May 5, 2009
14: Reflecting on What You Learned
Of the many things I learned in this class this semester, those that will be most useful to me in my professional and personal life will be the ones regarding the internet. Coming in to this class, I considered myself pretty knowledgeable about the web; this course showed me quite the contrary. As the saying goes, you don't know what you don't know, and looking back, I can't believe how much I didn't know. For years I had gotten by doing research with basic search tools like Google, never delving in to the "deep web." I found some of the meta crawlers and other tools to be extremely useful and yield much more accurate results than Google. As a teacher-in-training, I am very happy to have learned how much more helpful the internet can be when you know how to use it. Certainly, I will always use the web to try to find new assignments, lessons, facts, and other supplemental learning aids for my classroom, and I feel like I am much better prepared to do so because of this class. Thus, while I learned a great deal about research in general, I think the knowledge I have gained with regards to the internet will prove to be invaluable to me in the years to come.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
13: Reporting on the Application Project
For my application project, I will be writing a series of letters from Klansmen to other Klansmen, local businessmen, local newspapers, etc. The letters vary in subject – some will be from Grand Dragon Locke updating Simmons on the Colorado Klan’s progress; others will detail Locke’s orders to his kleagles; others will be threats or warnings to Klan-backed politicians; and others will be basic informational letters to Klansmen. These should, I think, give readers a good idea of the Klan’s doings and aims in 1920s Colorado.
So far, I have written two letters: one from Locke to Simmons, the other from Locke to Stapleton. I have decided on the format that I will use for all the letters, and I think I have selected a fitting style for the time. Right now, I have written about 300 words total.
I still have approximately 900 words to write, which will likely be about 5 or 6 more letters. I also have to work on the accompanying essay; I’m not quite sure what we’re doing with that, however, so I need to get some clarification before I begin. I should have all of my letters finished by Friday, and depending on when I find out what we’re doing for the accompanying essay, I hope to have that done by the weekend, too.
So far, I have written two letters: one from Locke to Simmons, the other from Locke to Stapleton. I have decided on the format that I will use for all the letters, and I think I have selected a fitting style for the time. Right now, I have written about 300 words total.
I still have approximately 900 words to write, which will likely be about 5 or 6 more letters. I also have to work on the accompanying essay; I’m not quite sure what we’re doing with that, however, so I need to get some clarification before I begin. I should have all of my letters finished by Friday, and depending on when I find out what we’re doing for the accompanying essay, I hope to have that done by the weekend, too.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
11b: Planning Your Application Project
As of right now, I think I am leaning towards a set of personal letters between Klansmen, such as those between John Locke and William Simmons. These will detail the doings and progress of the Klan, recruitment plans, campaign strategies, and the like. These, I think, are fitting because they are a good way to communicate the Klan agenda from the Klan perspective.
11a: Reporting on Your Progress
I am happy to report that I have the first draft of my research completed and ready for review. After I gathered all of my information, writing the paper was easy. I organized all of my information, sat down, and punched the thing out in about seven hours. I am satisfied with it for now, but I'm still tweaking it and making improvements here and there. I still need to decide which pictures I will use, but other than that, I think I'm about finished. Again, I am very satisfied with the progress I have made!
Friday, April 10, 2009
10a: Reporting on Your Field Research
1. How widespread would you the Klan's influence was? More specifically, how did the Klan influence religion, politics, and business affairs in Denver?
The KKK was very big in Denver in the '20s. There were all kinds of Klansmen who were politicians or authority figures, and many big businessmen, too. As far as religion goes, their biggest role was intimidating Catholics, you know, and keeping them in the shadows.
2. Despite the Klan's stigma of being a radical racist group, it had many goals to reform and clean up criminal activity in Denver. To what extent do you think the Klan actually had a positive impact on Denver?
The Klan vowed to clean up crime, and it seriously tried to do that -- it didn't go about it in the most lawful way, but it made an effort. I think the fact that Klan was out there and willing to police the city deterred a fair amount of criminals.
3. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan violence, corruption, or bigotry?
I remember a few businessmen getting roughed up for refusing to join the Klan, and the same for a policeman. That's about all I recall, though.
4. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan benevolence or altruism?
A police officer was gunned down -- by some bootleggers, I think -- and some Klansmen showed up and his funeral and said his wife and children would never have to worry about not being able to pay their bills. From then on, I think the Klan took monthly donations to support this family.
5. How difficult was it for you and your family to go about your daily affairs being non-Klanmembers? Did you ever feel threatened?
No, my family never had much interaction with the Klan. It affected everyone indirectly, see, but I'm not sure I ever even met a Klansman. That's me, though. I know plenty of others who spent a lot of time looking over their shoulder.
6. Were you or anyone you know ever pressured or threatened into joining the Klan?
Like I said, I wasn't, and neither was my family. Some guys I worked with were pushed into it, and you always heard stories about this type of thing. The Klan had its hand just about everywhere, so it was hard to miss. I guess I stayed under the radar some how.
7. Were you ever tempted or at least intrigued by the idea of joining the Klan?
I wasn't. Kids at school would talk about it. . . how it was the cool thing to do. I just never went for it. I was raised differently than to hate. And I didn't like their tactics -- beatings and threats and all that crap. It wasn't for me. I joined the Marines instead.
8. How common was it for ordinary people to lead the double life of buisnessman by day and Klansman by night? That is, what was the likelihood of finding Klansmen in your or any other average neighborhood?
Very common. A guy in a suit during the day could very well be a guy in a robe by night. That's the thing, you never knew who was or wasn't a member. I mean, of course there were some who announced it proudly, but there were many who went about their daily lives, and then completely changed when the cross started burning. I think you could find members in most neighborhoods.
9. Many people were very fearful of standing up to the Klan. How much open resistance to the Klan was there? To your knowledge, was it common for people to oppose the organization but be too scared to act against it?
For a long time, there was very little. A few newspapers, some priests, that was about it. People were scared for the families, their business. . . it just wasn't smart to resist. The ones who did, boy, they were brave. Some of 'em nearly lost their lives for it, but they didn't stop.
10. What would you say is the Klan's most enduring legacy from its reign over Colorado politics?
They didn't get a lot done in politics. Don't get me wrong, they did a lot, but as far as legislation and that stuff goes, most of their stuff flopped. I think the most enduring legacy on Colorado was just the shear size of the organization, and the way it scared so many people into giving it so much power.
The KKK was very big in Denver in the '20s. There were all kinds of Klansmen who were politicians or authority figures, and many big businessmen, too. As far as religion goes, their biggest role was intimidating Catholics, you know, and keeping them in the shadows.
2. Despite the Klan's stigma of being a radical racist group, it had many goals to reform and clean up criminal activity in Denver. To what extent do you think the Klan actually had a positive impact on Denver?
The Klan vowed to clean up crime, and it seriously tried to do that -- it didn't go about it in the most lawful way, but it made an effort. I think the fact that Klan was out there and willing to police the city deterred a fair amount of criminals.
3. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan violence, corruption, or bigotry?
I remember a few businessmen getting roughed up for refusing to join the Klan, and the same for a policeman. That's about all I recall, though.
4. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan benevolence or altruism?
A police officer was gunned down -- by some bootleggers, I think -- and some Klansmen showed up and his funeral and said his wife and children would never have to worry about not being able to pay their bills. From then on, I think the Klan took monthly donations to support this family.
5. How difficult was it for you and your family to go about your daily affairs being non-Klanmembers? Did you ever feel threatened?
No, my family never had much interaction with the Klan. It affected everyone indirectly, see, but I'm not sure I ever even met a Klansman. That's me, though. I know plenty of others who spent a lot of time looking over their shoulder.
6. Were you or anyone you know ever pressured or threatened into joining the Klan?
Like I said, I wasn't, and neither was my family. Some guys I worked with were pushed into it, and you always heard stories about this type of thing. The Klan had its hand just about everywhere, so it was hard to miss. I guess I stayed under the radar some how.
7. Were you ever tempted or at least intrigued by the idea of joining the Klan?
I wasn't. Kids at school would talk about it. . . how it was the cool thing to do. I just never went for it. I was raised differently than to hate. And I didn't like their tactics -- beatings and threats and all that crap. It wasn't for me. I joined the Marines instead.
8. How common was it for ordinary people to lead the double life of buisnessman by day and Klansman by night? That is, what was the likelihood of finding Klansmen in your or any other average neighborhood?
Very common. A guy in a suit during the day could very well be a guy in a robe by night. That's the thing, you never knew who was or wasn't a member. I mean, of course there were some who announced it proudly, but there were many who went about their daily lives, and then completely changed when the cross started burning. I think you could find members in most neighborhoods.
9. Many people were very fearful of standing up to the Klan. How much open resistance to the Klan was there? To your knowledge, was it common for people to oppose the organization but be too scared to act against it?
For a long time, there was very little. A few newspapers, some priests, that was about it. People were scared for the families, their business. . . it just wasn't smart to resist. The ones who did, boy, they were brave. Some of 'em nearly lost their lives for it, but they didn't stop.
10. What would you say is the Klan's most enduring legacy from its reign over Colorado politics?
They didn't get a lot done in politics. Don't get me wrong, they did a lot, but as far as legislation and that stuff goes, most of their stuff flopped. I think the most enduring legacy on Colorado was just the shear size of the organization, and the way it scared so many people into giving it so much power.
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