The Trayvon Martin Killing: Has Sanford's KKK Past Come Back to Haunt It?

The KKK pictured in Gainesville, Florida (1922)

SPLC's Potok Confirms Sanford Was Home to the New Knights of the Ku Klux Klan

A FROM THE G-MAN EXCLUSIVE

Several days ago, during a face-to-face conversation with "Mr. V", a New York resident that has family and friends based in the Sanford, Florida area, From The G-Man was informed that many sections of Florida, including Sanford, were "hood" areas.

When asked to explain, Mr. V stated, "Hood, as in Ku Klux Klan! I'm not surprised that this shooting occurred, based on what family and friends have told me in the past." 

From The G-Man launched an investigation into the claim on March 21, and on the same day two sources that were contacted confirmed that the KKK has had -- and continues to have -- a significant presence in the “Sunshine State". 

"According to our archives, there is no listing of an organization known as the New Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, but there have been a number of Klan chapters set up in various sections of the state dating as far back as the 1930s, and many of them could have spread out to areas like Sanford," said Alicia Clarke, Curator of the Sanford Museum. 

"The problem with trying to pinpoint that specific organization is most of the local library's archives no longer use microfilm, as everything has gone digital, and the transformation has caused gaps in our logging and recording of information. I would refer you to Sanford's historian, Jack Benton. He would probably be the best person to tell you about that specific organization and exactly when they were in Sanford."

Benton was contacted and informed of the nature of the calls, but he has not responded. 

Confirmation of the New Knights of the Ku Klux Klan's existence in Sanford came courtesy of an email from Mark Potok, Senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center. 

The email stated the following: 

As far as we know, there once was a Sanford chapter of the New Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, but they were last active in 2000. Their address then was 3665 S Orlando Drive, Suite 416, Sanford, FL  32773. This is in an all business area and was probably a Drop box with UPS or something like that. They claimed to have a Grand Dragon (bkkkb@yahoo.com) and a Great Titan (knightsfl@yahoo.com). They were somehow connected to the Oregon Knights of the KKK and supposedly had a State office at Merritt Island, FL.

A former member contacted us in September 2000 claiming that he quit because the Klan stole from him. This is unverified.

The knightsfl@yahoo.com seems to be no good any longer.

The bkkb@yahoo.com was used in 2001 by: 

New Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Realm of Florida

P.O. Box 542913, Merritt Island, Fl. 32953

That’s really all we have. I hope that’s helpful. 

Best,

Mark Potok

Senior fellow, SPLC 

Potok was also contacted in effort to confirm allegations made by Cole Thornton, the Imperial Wizard of the United Northern and Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. 

In an article that appeared in the Orlando Sentinel on January 8, 2010, Thornton claimed that Florida police officers "belonged to his Klan group because they like its rigid standards and its adherence to strict moral codes." Thornton refused to name the officers. 

"For what it's worth, I don’t believe Cole Thornton at all when he claims he’s got lots of police officer members. I think he wishes he had them, but he doesn’t, said Potok. 

"As a practical matter, we still once in a great while run across a Klan cop, but almost never. It was a big thing, of course, during the civil rights movement, but not in recent years." 

In an email from Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of Color of Change, which cites its goal as strengthening Black America's political voice, Robinson revealed that the killing of Trayvon Martin is not the first racial incident where he believes the Sanford Police Department acted in an inappropriate, questionable and unconscionable manner. 

"Sanford has a history of not prosecuting when the victim is Black. In 2010, the white son of a Sanford police lieutenant was let go by police after assaulting a homeless Black man outside a downtown bar," noted Robinson. 

"And, in 2005, a Black teenager was killed by two white security guards, one the son of a Sanford police officer. The pair was arrested and charged, but a judge later cited lack of evidence and dismissed both cases."

On March 21, From The G-Man contacted Cole Thornton to obtain more information about the claims made in the Orlando Sentinel article. Thornton's comments will be published as they become available.

The Department of Justice is now reviewing the case, and, as this story was being posted, CBS News is reporting that Sanford’s Chief of Police, Bill Lee, has “temporarily” stepped down.

Correction: The article notes that Sanford Museum curator Alicia Clarke referred Jack Benton as a source of information for this story. Mr. Benton was actually referred through another source that spoke to From The G-Man. 

Photo source: Wikipedia
Author: Original uploader was Alabamaboy
Permission: Public Domain