By Stephanie Martin, Church Leaders Newsletter
The community of Columbia, Tennessee, is uniting against hatred following the discovery of Ku Klux Klan (KKK) recruitment flyers at three primarily Black churches in the area.
On July 11, Kenny Anderson Sr., pastor of Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, revealed that KKK flyers had been placed on the marquee outside his church. Flyers also reportedly appeared outside Bethel Chapel AME Church and Faith United Missionary Baptist Church, both also in Columbia.
Later that day, the Maury County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that it was “currently investigating the dissemination of hate propaganda throughout our community.” Anyone with information about the distribution of the flyers is asked to contact the agency.
Located about 45 miles south of Nashville, Columbia has a population of 43,000 people. The town also is near Pulaski, Tennessee, where the first chapter of the KKK white supremacist hate group emerged in 1865, shortly after the U.S. Civil War ended.
Flyers Recruit Members for KKK
The flyers, which contain various Klan imagery and slogans, read: “You have been paid another social visit by the Old Glory Knights of the Ku Klux Klan we have a dark history here and because of you a bright future!”
Below that in large type are the words “Be Warned.” That’s followed by this disturbing message: “Race traitors, mixed breeds, communist, homosexuals, and all other walks of Godless degeneracy, the Klan is back again and here to stay, so you’d better make amends or stay away!!!”
Other messages on the paper mention an “Invisible Empire,” “Heritage Not Hate,” and “Fight For What’s Right.” Recipients are urged to “Join us in our fight” by contacting an email address that is listed at the bottom of the flyer.
On the evening of July 12, Anderson and other local faith leaders plan to gather for a press conference about the matter. According to a statement from the group Christians Standing Together Against Hatred, attendees also will join in a prayer for unity.
KKK Flyers Have Appeared Elsewhere
Similar incidents have occurred recently, often in the South. Last month, some residents of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, reported receiving KKK “Neighborhood Watch” flyers.
In 2022, numerous people living in Riverside, a diverse community in northwest Atlanta, received flyers from the hate group on their lawns and front porches. Flyers had been placed inside plastic baggies along with small rocks to hold them down.
First published July 11, 2023
