Eldon Lee Edwards (June 8, 1909 – August 1, 1960) was an American

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 ...

leader.

Biography

Edwards was an automobile paint sprayer from

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, and rebuilt the Klan beginning in 1953. In his book ''The Informant: The FBI, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Murder of Viola Liuzzo'', Gary May notes that Edwards became prominent at a time when the Klan was splintered into different local groups. Edwards succeeded

Samuel Roper Samuel Roper (died 1658) was an English antiquary. Life He was the eldest son of Thomas Roper of Heanor, Derbyshire, by his second wife, Anne, daughter and co-heir of Alvered Gresbrooke of Middleton, Warwickshire. Roper claimed ancestry going ...

and was elected leader of the third KKK which was reestablished at

Stone Mountain Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome Inselberg, monadnock and the site of Stone Mountain Park, east of Atlanta, Georgia. Outside the park is the small city of Stone Mountain, Georgia. The park is the most visited tourist site in the state o ...

by Samuel Green in 1946, the successor of the

second KKK 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 ...

.Staff report (March 4, 1986). Samuel W. Roper, 90, was second director of GBI in early 1940s. ''

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the only major daily newspaper in the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merger between ...

'' In 1955, Edwards created his own organization, "U.S. Klans, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan", and established a 15,000 strong following in nine south eastern American states.Review of The Informant: The FBI, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Murder of Viola Liuzzo by May, Gary, 2005 at www.wnyc.org
In the late 1950s, Edwards joined forces with

Roy Elonzo Davis Roy Elonzo Davis (April 24, 1890 - August 12, 1966) was a leader and founding member of the 1915 Ku Klux Klan. Davis was Second Degree (second in command) of the KKK under William J. Simmons and later became National Imperial Wizard (leader) of ...

who was Imperial Wizard of the Original Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and one of the founding members of the second KKK who was leading the KKK in the western southern states. Edwards appointed Davis as Grand Dragon of the KKK in Texas in 1958 in an effort to merge their organizations. Edwards was interviewed by

Mike Wallace Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. He interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspo ...

on May 5, 1957, as noted in Wallace's 2006 book ''Between You and Me''. Wallace confronted Edwards over his racism and the violence of the KKK. Edwards explained to Wallace that he believed segregation was instituted by God, and cited various bible verses to support his position. He insisted that racial segregation was a key tenant of true Christianity, and rejected the teachings of other Christian leaders who supported racial integration. Edwards, long diagnosed with heart disease, died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

in Atlanta on August 1, 1960. In his last public appearance, Edwards said, "We have more right to organize than the communists and the NAACP," and added, "We white people are the inheritors of this country. We do not intend to surrender it." When Edwards died, his KKK organization splintered as different men attempt to take leadership. Roy Davis claimed to news media that he was the true successor of Edwards, claiming to have been elected to the position in 1959.

References

External links

Eldon Edwards on ''The Mike Wallace Interview''
1909 births 1960 deaths People from Atlanta Leaders of the Ku Klux Klan {{US-activist-stub