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How the KKK rose to power in the heartland in the 1920s

By Lauren Gilger
Published: Monday, May 15, 2023 - 11:02am
Updated: Monday, May 15, 2023 - 1:34pm

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When you think of the Roaring '20s, you might think about flapper dresses, speakeasies, the Charleston — but you probably don’t think of the Klu Klux Klan.

However, author of a new book, Timothy Egan, says that the Klan rose to power in the 1920s, not in the South, but in the heartland. 

Egan’s new book, "A Fever in the Heartland," details the power and influence of the KKK in Indiana in the 1920s — and the con artist who led it. At this time, the state was nearly completely ruled by the Klan; Egan says, 1 in 3 white men there swore an oath to the Klan. The Show spoke with Egan about it.

Timothy Egan head shot and cover of his new book, "A Fever in the Heartland."
Ruth Fremson
Timothy Egan, author of "A Fever in the Heartland."

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