1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2010. THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE KKK: THE BIRTH OF AN AMERICAN TERRORIST GROUP. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 9780618440337
2. PLOT SUMMARY
While young readers may have been introduced through lessons on the Civil Rights protests and activities of the 1950’s and 1960’s to the entity known as the Ku Klux Klan, this work takes a more unique approach to introducing readers to the birth of the organization itself. Setting the stage in the Reconstruction-Era Southern United States, the inception of this group as a social club where a few former confederates and confederate-sympathizers met to lament the loss of their way of life is the beginning of this tale. Bartoletti continues through the growth of the organization into its early acts of fear-mongering and beyond into its spread as a multi-state organization with local, regional and district chapters. Interspersed with quotes from both KKK members and the terrorized Black Americans that were the victims of the group’s attacks, the social commentary helps move the story along. From the moment when six Tennessee Confederate officers decided to, “let us get up a club,” through the 1905 book and film, The Clansman, the early years of this sad element of American history are explained to young readers in as appropriate a way as possible.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Through a long list of credible sources including slave narratives, court records, newspaper stories and primary source images such as lithographs and sketches, the accuracy of this piece appears high. An extensive list of quote sources, as well as a well presented bibliography for verification and research purposes support the thoroughness of Bartoletti’s work as well as giving a good starting off point for student research.
While many informational non-fiction works for young readers are written in a manner that allows for non-sequential reading and reference, They Called Themselves the KKK is written in a way that really lends itself to being read as a story, from beginning to end. Elements such as a timeline, quote attributions and an index allow the book to be used as a resource and looked at out of sequence however the full effect is best obtained when reading the book from cover to cover.
Both the design and style of this book allow it to be read much more in the manner of a non-fiction book. While relying exclusively on black and white images in the manner of primary resources, pull-out quotes, differences in font and style type and a tone that suggests much more of a newspaper story than a history textbook, the work is accessible to young readers because it seeks to make the events approachable, yet still realistic and compelling. Bartoletti makes a point to inform readers that in certain quotes language of the time period is seen and the author chose not to change it for fear of negating the impact and validity of the work. With this warning in advance, young readers and the adults supporting them can be armed to work through the more difficult elements of language and content the book covers.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
GOODREADS REVIEW: “Documentation is superb, and even the source notes are fascinating. An exemplar of history writing and a must for libraries and classrooms.”
KIRKUS REVIEWS: “This is the story of how a secret terrorist group took root in America’s democracy. Filled with chilling and vivid personal accounts unearthed from oral histories, congressional documents, and other primary sources, this is a book to read and remember.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Tie ins to an instructional unit based on the Slave Narratives as well as work during Black History month and any lessons related to Reconstruction and the Civil Rights movement are all appropriate.
*Have students engage in a Reader’s Theater created in an age appropriate manner for your particular students based on Marcia Cebulska's play Now Let Me Fly or use the author’s youth versions of her play to perform at a celebratory event. http://nowletmefly.com/downloads/index.php
*Other books about the Civil War and Reconstruction:
Asim, Jabarri. THE ROAD TO FREEDOM: A STORY OF RECONSTRUCTION. ISBN 9780769634326
Murphy, Jim. THE BOYS WAR: CONFEDERATE AND UNION SOLDIERS TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR. ISBN 9780780722224
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