''American Renaissance'' (''AR'' or ''AmRen'') is a
white supremacist
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other Race (human classification), races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any Power (social and polit ...
website and former monthly magazine publication founded and edited by
Jared Taylor
Samuel Jared Taylor (born September 15, 1951) is an American white supremacist and editor of ''American Renaissance'', an online magazine espousing such opinions, which was founded by Taylor in 1990.
He is also the president of ''American Ren ...
.
It is published by the
New Century Foundation
The New Century Foundation is a white supremacist organization founded in 1994 by Jared Taylor known primarily for publishing a magazine, ''American Renaissance'', which promotes white supremacy. From 1994 to 1999, its activities received conside ...
, which describes itself as a "
race-realist, white advocacy organization".
History
![2008 Jared Taylor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/2008_Jared_Taylor.jpg)
The magazine and the New Century Foundation were established by
Jared Taylor
Samuel Jared Taylor (born September 15, 1951) is an American white supremacist and editor of ''American Renaissance'', an online magazine espousing such opinions, which was founded by Taylor in 1990.
He is also the president of ''American Ren ...
; the first issue of ''American Renaissance'' was published in November 1990.
Both the magazine and foundation, as well as Taylor have had links with organizations such as the
Council of Conservative Citizens
The Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC or CCC) is an American white supremacist organization. Founded in 1985, it advocates white nationalism, and supports some paleoconservative causes. In the organization's statement of principles, it st ...
, the
Pioneer Fund
Pioneer Fund is an American non-profit foundation established in 1937 "to advance the scientific study of heredity and human differences". The organization has been described as racist and white supremacist in nature. One of its first projects w ...
, and the
British National Party
The British National Party (BNP) is a far-right, fascist political party in the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Wigton, Cumbria, and its leader is Adam Walker. A minor party, it has no elected representatives at any level of UK gover ...
. Former
Grand Wizard
The Grand Wizard (later the Grand and Imperial Wizard simplified as the Imperial Wizard and eventually, the National Director) referred to the national leader of several different Ku Klux Klan organizations in the United States and abroad.
The ti ...
s of the
Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
Don Black and
David Duke
David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is an American white supremacist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, far-right politician, convicted felon, and former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. From 1989 to 1992, he was a member ...
have attended ''American Renaissance'' conferences and have been seen talking with Taylor.
Proud Boys founder
Gavin McInnes
Gavin Miles McInnes (; born 17 July 1970) is a Canadian writer, podcaster and far-right commentator and founder of the Proud Boys. He is the host of '' Get Off My Lawn with Gavin McInnes'', on the subscription-based streaming media platform C ...
has also written for ''American Renaissance''. The organization has held bi-annual conferences that attract
neo-Nazi
Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazism, Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and Supremacism#Racial, racial supremacy (ofte ...
s,
white nationalist
White nationalism is a type of racial nationalism or pan-nationalism which espouses the belief that white people are a raceHeidi Beirich and Kevin Hicks. "Chapter 7: White nationalism in America". In Perry, Barbara. ''Hate Crimes''. Greenwoo ...
s, white separatists,
Holocaust deniers
Holocaust denial is an antisemitic conspiracy theory that falsely asserts that the Nazi genocide of Jews, known as the Holocaust, is a myth, fabrication, or exaggeration. Holocaust deniers make one or more of the following false statements:
* ...
, and
eugenicists
Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...
. Attendance at the conferences has varied; in February 2008, some 300 people attended.
Content
''American Renaissance'' is a
white supremacist
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other Race (human classification), races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any Power (social and polit ...
publication.
It has been described as "
alt-right
The alt-right, an abbreviation of alternative right, is a far-right, white nationalist movement. A largely online phenomenon, the alt-right originated in the United States during the late 2000s before increasing in popularity during the mid-2 ...
" by ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''. On December 18, 2017, the accounts for the magazine and its editor
Jared Taylor
Samuel Jared Taylor (born September 15, 1951) is an American white supremacist and editor of ''American Renaissance'', an online magazine espousing such opinions, which was founded by Taylor in 1990.
He is also the president of ''American Ren ...
were
suspended by Twitter. Before the suspension, the magazine's account had 32,800 followers.
The publication promotes
pseudoscientific notions "that attempt to demonstrate the intellectual and cultural superiority of whites and publishes articles on the supposed decline of American society because of
integrationist social policies."
According to
Carol M. Swain
Carol Miller Swain (born March 7, 1954) is a retired professor of political science and Law of the United States, law at Vanderbilt University. A frequent television analyst, she is the author and editor of several books. Her interests include ra ...
, "''American Renaissance'' has become the leading intellectual journal of contemporary white nationalism with a small but highly educated readership which sees itself as the vanguard of a new race realism that seeks to rescue America from the harmful effects of
multiculturalist
The term multiculturalism has a range of meanings within the contexts of sociology, political philosophy, and colloquial use. In sociology and in everyday usage, it is a synonym for " ethnic pluralism", with the two terms often used interchang ...
dogmas."
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
banned the ''American Renaissance'' channel, along with those of individual white nationalists, in late June 2020 for ignoring the website's policies against
hate speech
Hate speech is defined by the ''Cambridge Dictionary'' as "public speech that expresses hate or encourages violence towards a person or group based on something such as race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation". Hate speech is "usually thoug ...
.
Reception and controversy
Southern Poverty Law Center
American Renaissance and the New Century Foundation appear on a list of 115 "white nationalist hate groups" published in the ''
Intelligence Report'' of the
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white su ...
(SPLC).
Mark Potok, editor-in-chief of the ''Intelligence Report'', has said: "Jared Taylor is the cultivated, cosmopolitan face of white supremacy. He is the guy who is providing the intellectual heft, in effect, to modern-day
Klansmen
The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
." Taylor stated in a radio interview: "I've never been a member of the Klan. I've never known a person who is a member of the Klan." An article in the ''
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...
'' reported that Taylor had at least met former Klansman
David Duke
David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is an American white supremacist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, far-right politician, convicted felon, and former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. From 1989 to 1992, he was a member ...
at an American Renaissance conference, and sat with
Don Black, a former
Grand Wizard
The Grand Wizard (later the Grand and Imperial Wizard simplified as the Imperial Wizard and eventually, the National Director) referred to the national leader of several different Ku Klux Klan organizations in the United States and abroad.
The ti ...
of the Klan, at Taylor's kitchen table.
An article in the ''Intelliegence Report'' by Potok and Heidi Beirich, head of the SPLC's ''Intelligence Project'' stated: "''American Renaissance'' has become increasingly important over the years, bringing a measure of intellectualism and seriousness to the typically thug-dominated world of white supremacy. Today, it may be the closest thing the extreme right has to a real think tank. Whether or not it survives, and in what form, genuinely matters."
Anti-Defamation League
The American
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the United States specializing in civil rights law. It was founded in late Septe ...
(ADL) describes ''American Renaissance'' as a "
white supremacist
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other Race (human classification), races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any Power (social and polit ...
journal".
The ADL also writes: "Taylor eschews
anti-Semitism
Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism.
Antis ...
. Seeing Jews as white, greatly influential and the 'conscience of society', Taylor rather seeks to partner with Jews who share his views on race and racial diversity" and "Jews have been speakers and/or participants at all eight American Renaissance conferences" although controversy followed accusations by
David Duke
David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is an American white supremacist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, far-right politician, convicted felon, and former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. From 1989 to 1992, he was a member ...
, who was not a scheduled presenter, at the 2006 conference.
[
]
Conferences
''American Renaissance'' has held conferences since 1994. Anti-racist activists were sometimes successful in persuading private hotels to cancel their reservations with ''American Renaissance''. In 2011, the publication planned to hold a three-day conference at a Sheraton Airport hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
. The hotel canceled the group's booking amid plans by anti-racism activists and the Jewish Defense Organization (JDO) to protest at the conference site. The mayor ''pro tem'' of the city also reportedly contacted the hotel.
Since 2012, the ''American Renaissance'' has held its conference held at Montgomery Bell State Park Inn in Burns, Tennessee
Burns is a town in Dickson County, Tennessee, in the United States. It is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro– Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,468 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Burns is located in southeas ...
, a state-owned site. Protests have often taken place outside the conference facilities.
Alleged DHS memo regarding 2011 Tucson shooting
A document—initially claimed to be a leaked Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
(DHS) memo—alleged that Jared Lee Loughner
Jared Lee Loughner (; born September 10, 1988) is an American mass murderer who pled guilty to 19 charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with the January 8, 2011, Tucson shooting, in which he shot and severely injured U.S. Repre ...
, the accused gunman in the 2011 Tucson shooting that wounded Congresswoman Gabby Giffords
Gabrielle Dee Giffords (born June 8, 1970) is an American retired politician and gun control advocate who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing from January 2007 until January 2012, when she resigned ...
and killed six bystanders, may have had ties to American Renaissance, which it called an "anti-ZOG (Zionist Government) and anti-semitic" group. In an interview with Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
, Jared Taylor denied the organization ever used the term " ZOG" and said Loughner had no connection to them.
DHS officials the following day reported: "the department has not established any such possibility, undercutting what appears to be the primary basis for this claim". Furthermore, no such memo had been issued.
Major David Denlinger, commander of the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center
The Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) is a state-level law enforcement agency with a primary function of patrolling and enforcing state laws on Arizona highways. Director Heston Silbert was promoted from Deputy Director to Director in ...
acknowledged that the document came from his agency, but contained errors. He said that he has no reason to believe that Loughner had any direct connection with or was being directed by ''American Renaissance''.
See also
* Biological determinism
Biological determinism, also known as genetic determinism, is the belief that human behaviour is directly controlled by an individual's genes or some component of their physiology, generally at the expense of the role of the environment, whether i ...
* Paleoconservatism
Paleoconservatism is a political philosophy and variety of conservatism in the United States stressing American nationalism, Christian ethics, regionalism, and traditionalist conservatism. Paleoconservatism's concerns overlap with those of the ...
References
Further reading
*.
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:American Renaissance (Magazine)
1990 establishments in the United States
Alt-right websites
Anti-immigration politics in the United States
Magazines established in 1990
Political magazines published in the United States
Identity politics in the United States
Race and intelligence controversy
White supremacy in the United States