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 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 Cat ...

organizations in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

and abroad. The title "Grand Wizard" was used by the first Klan which was founded in 1865 and which existed during the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

until 1872. The second Klan, founded in 1915, styled their national leader the "Imperial Wizard." National officers were styled "Imperial" officers. State or "Realm" officers were styled "Grand" officers. For example, a "Grand Dragon" was the highest-ranking Klansman in a given state.

National Leaders of the Ku Klux Klan

This list excludes those Grand or Imperial Wizards of independent Klan factions:

The First Klan (1865-1872)

The Ku Klux Klan was founded by six confederate veterans in 1865 but did not elect a Grand Wizard until after Nathan Bedford Forrest joined in 1867. * Nathan Bedford Forrest, Grand Wizard, 1867-1869, Forrest resigned in 1869 and ordered the KKK dissolved although the group remained active until 1872

The Second Klan (1915–1944)

* William Joseph Simmons, Imperial Wizard, second Klan, 1915–1922 * Hiram Wesley Evans, Imperial Wizard, second Klan, 1922–1939 *

James A. Colescott James Arnold Colescott (January 11, 1897 – January 11, 1950) was an American white supremacist who was Imperial Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Under financial pressure from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for back taxes, he dis ...

, Imperial Wizard, second Klan, 1939–1944; Colescott disbanded the KKK in 1944.

The Third Klan (Post World War II)

Major Klan leaders following the disbandment of the second Klan: * Samuel Green, Imperial Wizard, Original Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, 1949, Green reformed the KKK in 1946 * Samuel Roper, Imperial Wizard, Original Knights of the Ku Klux Klan 1949-1950 * Eldon Edwards, Imperial Wizard, Original Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, 1950-1959, * Roy Elonzo Davis, Imperial Wizard, Original Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Knights of the Flaming Sword 1959-1964. Both organizations disbanded. * Robert Shelton, Grand Wizard, United Klans of America Inc., 1961-1987, Shelton started a new branch of the KKK * David Duke, Imperial Wizard, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, 1974-1981, Duke started a new branch of the KKK *Bill Wilkinson, Imperial Wizard, Invisible Empire Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, 1975-1981, Wilkinson formed a competing branch which, at the time, was the largest national KKK organization *Stanley McCollum, Imperial Wizard, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, 1981-1989 *Thomas "Thom" Robb, National Director, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, 1989-

Imperial Wizards in the United Kingdom

* James K. Dale, Imperial Wizard, UK Branch, 2014–2017 * Rad U. Estherson, Imperial Wizard, UK Branch, 2017–

References