Saturday, September 02, 2006

ND 1 - KKK 0

"On May 17, 1924, thousands of hooded members of the Ku Klux Klan converged on South Bend, Indiana, to terrorize the students of Notre Dame. A weekend of rioting ensued, with the 'fighting irish' prevailing in the streets."

These are the words found on the front flap of the cover of the book by Todd Tucker entitled, Notre Dame vs. The Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan. I have just completed reading this book in time for the season opener against the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets on tonight (8:00 et ABC). Even if you are not a Notre Dame fan (and shame on you if you are not), I am willing to bet that you will find this book most enjoyable and informative. It was interesting to learn that the KKK in Indiana during the early twenties was a different and more powerful organization than what it was during the 50's and the 60's. And yet, while Tucker does a masterful job in relating the cosmetic differences, he accurately and ultimately demonstrates that the heart of the organization has always been these - corrupt, depraved, power-intoxicated, racism. The boys of Notre Dame took to the streets of South Bend and gave those kluxers all they wanted and more. This is a good read. And tonight will be a good game. GO IRISH!

2 comments:

jazztheo said...

I'm always looking for a good read, thanks for the tip.

jt

Anonymous said...

Anthony, I can't believe you are a Fighting Irish fan! Oh, my!

Go Green, Go White! This cheer is for next week!