NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED in 100 years. That summarizes my thoughts after attending a talk, “Minnesota’s Hooded History—The Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Minnesota,” followed by a Q & A Thursday evening at my local library. Hate groups still exist in America, just with different names, different targets, different locations, different levels of participation.
But the core ideology of these groups, based on what I heard and what I’ve read, remains unchanged. The same in 1925 as in 2025. Historian and retired librarian Nancy Vaillancourt could have been talking about current day America when she shared her research into the KKK in Minnesota. The KKK professed a strong Christian faith, patriotism, Americanism, American ideals and more as they targeted first Blacks, then Catholics, Jews and others, including immigrants. Sound familiar? Today this hatred and intolerance is coming not only from organized hate groups, but also from individuals and from people in positions of power.
Back to Vaillancourt’s presentation Thursday evening. About 100 attendees packed the Great Hall meeting room at Buckham Memorial Library to capacity in a city which hosted Minnesota’s first state Klan convention in August 1924. Klan members from 69 cities and towns attended the event at the Rice County Fairgrounds in Faribault with the KKK claiming 2,500 in attendance. A publication noted fewer than half that number actually attended. Inflated crowd numbers. Sound familiar?
Certainly, hosting a state KKK convention is not a proud moment in a city’s history. But it is history none-the-less and important to know. We cannot deny our past, even if hurtful and painful and awful. And Vaillancourt revealed plenty of hurt and hate as she presented, focusing on the KKK in my region of southern Minnesota. She confirmed the presence of Klan chapters in nearly 60 Minnesota counties at one time. Groups of men, women and sometimes children who, in their hooded coverings, spewed hatred and intolerance while waving American flags and singing “Onward Christian Soldiers.”
Cross burnings occurred in Faribault, (including on the bluffs below St. Mary’s Hall), Stockton, Red Wing, Winona and other locations cited not only by Vaillancourt, but by audience members. Like Teresa, whose husband’s grandmother had a cross burned in her yard near Waterford (outside Northfield) because she was Catholic. Klan hatred toward Catholics was particularly strong in 1920s Minnesota.
A Catholic mother, who had just given birth, watched as the KKK paraded past the Owatonna hospital while en route from the Steele County Fairgrounds to Central Park during the state Klan convention in 1926. Can you imagine the fear she felt? Not unlike the fear targeted groups of people are experiencing today in this country.
Because Vaillancourt is from Owatonna, much of her talk focused on that community just south of Faribault along Interstate 35. Owatonna, it seems, was a hotbed of Klan activity, hosting local and state gatherings. But the fact that stood out for me was the Klan’s purchase of 20 acres of land east of downtown Owatonna. That land became Klan Park, a place to gather, organize and socialize. The local chapter even constructed a meeting house there. While it is disheartening to hear this, it was uplifting to learn that the land was sold in 1945—to a man whose wife was Catholic. Attendee Bonnie shared that bit of information about her great uncle, who was invited to join the Klan, declined because of his wife’s Catholicism and then eventually bought the land. Today that former KKK park is the site of soccer practice fields, Vaillancourt noted, where a diverse group of youth play.
Vaillancourt covered a whole lot more in her presentation. Like how the Klan recruited from fraternal orders, Protestant churches, via fiery speeches, by invitation. Fear and social and economic pressure were used to draw people into the Klan. Sound familiar? In Virginia, in northern Minnesota, the entire school board claimed Klan membership and made Bible reading in school compulsory. The mayor of St. James was a major grand dragon of the KKK. The Northfield Klan hosted a KKK homecoming Labor Day parade in September 1926. The Klan was big on parades. That makes sense given the intimidation and fear a mass of hooded marchers can instill in the public. And Owatonna residents were afraid, Vaillancourt said.
Yet, there were individuals—like Bonnie’s great uncle—organizations and media who resisted and challenged the Klan. The NAACP, the National Vigilance Association, the Knights of Columbus… Vaillancourt specifically noted the Catholic-based KC group for effectively exposing Klan members in a community.
This gives me hope, when I hear of media, individuals and organizations that stood up and refused to accept hatred and intolerance. It gives me hope, too, when members of my community turn out in strong numbers to learn about “Minnesota’s Hooded History.” Knowledge is powerful. It gives me hope, too, when someone like Nancy Vaillancourt cares, researches and shares because, she says, she wants “to get the truth out.” Even while some still deny it.
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FYI: To learn more about the Ku Klux Klan and about other hate groups in America, visit the Southern Poverty Law Center.
A photo gallery exhibit, “Testify—Americana Slavery to Today, The Diane and Alan Page Collection,” will be displayed in the hallway connecting Buckham Memorial Library and the Faribault Community Center from April 1-23. The exhibit will also be at other libraries throughout the Southeastern Libraries Cooperating (SELCO) system.
The “Minnesota’s Hooded History” program was made possible with support from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Library Legacy Fund and SELCO.
© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I wish I had known about this. I would have been front row. The mayor of my hometown of St. James, MN, was the head guy in 1927. He hosted a conference in southern MN. His last name was Fuller. I would love to know more about this. Great topic we all need to know more about. Thanks
Do you live in southern Minnesota, maybe even Faribault or nearby? You could reach out to Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault to see if this program is being presented anywhere near you or perhaps learn how to book this talk by Nancy Vaillincourt. I fully agree this is a topic we all need to know about. BTW, I lived in St. James in the early 1980s, working in the Mankato Free Press’ St. James-based news bureau, aka me working from my apartment.
Yes, I knew that you lived in St. James. My dad owned the Urban Shoe Store. I now live in Northfield.
I’d encourage you to contact the Northfield library and see if they can bring this program to Northfield. Thanks for sharing your Northfield connection.
I found this today. I thought since you worked for the Mankato Free Press. New book documents proliferation of second-wave Ku Klux Klan as political, social group in southern MN | Lifestyles | mankatofreepress.com
Thanks for the link to info about this book. I just ordered it from the library. 🙂 Be sure to read “A Fever in the Heartland” by Timothy Egan if you haven’t read that book yet. It’s about the Klan in Indiana. Very informative.
As you tell us about each terrifying professed statement of the KKK, and then ask, “Sound familiar?” And it does, and it’s utterly sickening. How can any humans do this to other humans? What is wrong with some people? Thank goodness for those who refused to accept such intolerance and stood up in greater numbers than those in hatred. I am so glad our communities offer these historical presentations, and that people like Nancy Vaillancourt are willing to share them. Thank you for sharing this as a reminder and a lesson. And for finding hope.
This needed to be shared, Rose. As always, thank you for your thoughtful comment.
This is fascinating, yet horrific local history that I had no idea about. Nancy Vaillincourt’s work is important to share with the community and your blog increased her audience. Thank you both.
You’re welcome, Bernadette. I bet a lot of people in the area know nothing of this history. I am grateful to Nancy for her hard work in uncovering this and then sharing it.
This sounds very interesting Audrey. I didn’t know about the KKK influence in MN. Thanks for the recap.
It is interesting, isn’t it? Perhaps Northfield can bring this to the library.
this horrific history, a part of our country, needs to be shared and discussed like this, and your first paragraph is correct, it still exists in other forms and under other names
I am grateful to my local library for bringing this program to my community and especially grateful to Nancy Vaillancourt for her research. Like you say, this needs to be shared and discussed. Especially now.
Audrey, love you lady. SPLC – one this topic, if that is your best reference on thsi topic, I cringe. This is a hate filled, race baiting outfit if I ever saw one, they hate everyone who doesn’t agree with them
SPLC was referenced by the speaker as a source of information. I was familiar with it, checked out the info on the topic at hand and then linked to it. We can respectfully choose to disagree on this one, Gunny. As always, good to hear from you. With love from Minnesota to Texas.
No, not much has changed. No, actually I think one thing has changed: more people care.
You may be right on that. Or perhaps I should say, I hope you’re right on that.
I would love to hear Nancy’s talk. I didn’t know much about Owatonna’s history with the KKK. Anita Talsma Gaul is another person who speaks about this topic with more information about southwestern MN’s and their involvement in the KKK. It is frightening to hear about this but so important especially right now.
Have you heard Anita speak? I would like to know more about the sw MN presence. Your finally words, “especially now,” are spot on correct.
Hi Audrey, I didn’t remember all the details of Anita’s talk so looked up more.
https://minnesotareformer.com/2021/05/10/history-on-repeat-klan-was-active-here-in-the-1920s-opinion/
I think this would give you a few details about SW MN’s KKK activity. Anita has written some short books about various topics in local history but not sure if she has done something lengthy on this. It is shocking to say the least.
Thanks for this additional info, Colleen.
What a horrible thing to think nothing has changed. It takes every single one of us to push back on ALL hatred of any group. I still have hope…
I’m trying to feel hopeful. That’s getting more difficult these days.
wow! eye opening for sure
We all learned a lot during Nancy’s presentation. I already knew some of this local history, but certainly not as much as Nancy shared.