6c: Planning Field Research

For my field research, I am planning on interviewing my grandfather, who was a teenage boy when the Klan was coming to power in Denver. He has talked about the organization frequently, and this will be a good opportunity to get some formal statements from him. I realize that he is not the academic or scholarly source that some might say should be used, but I think he can provide an interesting perspective: he was the ordinary citizen trying to get by in Denver under the Klan's reign, and he knows what life was like for the average Denverite during this time. He may not know the Klan's history in Colorado like those who have written the books I am scavenging for information, but he knows how the Klan affected the lives of real people. Right now, I am considering the following questions for an interview:

1. How widespread would you the Klan's influence was? More specifically, how did the Klan influence religion, politics, and business affairs in Denver?

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?

3. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan violence, corruption, or bigotry?

4. Can you describe any specific instances of Klan benevolence or altruism?

5. How difficult was it for you and your family to go about your daily affairs being non-Klanmembers? Did you ever feel threatened?

6. Were you or anyone you know ever pressured or threatened into joining the Klan?

7. Were you ever tempted or at least intrigued by the idea of joining the Klan?

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?

9. Many people were very fearul 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?

10. What would you say is the Klan's most enduring legacy from its reign over Colorado politics?

I am planning to conduct this interview at my grandfather's home the week after next.