Jeff Berry (born May 31, 2013) was the former leader of the American Knights 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 ...

in Newville, Indiana. He was sentenced to seven years in prison on December 4, 2001, for conspiracy to commit criminal confinement with a deadly weapon. The charges stemmed from a 1999 incident in which Berry refused to allow a local reporter and a photographer to leave his home following an interview.

Leadership

In an interview, Berry identified himself as the Klan's "national imperial wizard". In a book written by his former assistant and now former Klansman, Brad Thompson, Berry's Klan was described as "a gigantic financial rip-off designed to line the pockets of its top leadership". Berry later left the Klan six months after

Jacob Holdt Jacob Holdt (born 29 April 1947) is a Danish photographer, writer and lecturer. His mammoth work, ''American Pictures'', gained international fame in 1977 for its effective photographic revelations about the hardships of America's lower classes. ...

, a Danish photographer, produced a documentary with him about

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...

. After leaving the Klan, Berry was physically assaulted by other Klan members, including his son, who believed that Berry had betrayed his race. This assault resulted in him becoming blind and an invalid.

Books

* Thompson, Brad and Worth Weller. ''Under The Hood: Unmasking the Modern Ku Klux Klan'' . Thompson is the former Indiana "grand dragon" of the American Knights of the

. Weller is a journalist.

Death

On June 7, 2013, 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 ...

reported that Berry had died from lung cancer, on May 31, 2013, in a hospital in

Cook County, Illinois Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...

.Jeff Berry, Former Klan Leader, Dies at 64
/ref>

References

External links

by anti-racism activism

, asserting Berry was innocent and covering up for a relative of his. 1940s births 2013 deaths People from DeKalb County, Indiana Leaders of the Ku Klux Klan Ku Klux Klan crimes 1999 crimes in the United States Gang members Year of birth uncertain American blind people American prisoners and detainees Deaths from cancer in Illinois Ku Klux Klan in Indiana American Ku Klux Klan members convicted of crimes {{US-crime-bio-stub