Description
Dan Moody Crusader for Justice, written by Ken Anderson. The 1920’s Ku Klux Klan was a nationwide, secret organization that openly preached white supremacy and hatred for blacks, Jews, Catholics, immigrants and law-breakers. At its peak in 1925 and 1926, it had up to three million members. It was active in all 48 states. The Klan virtually controlled state government in Indiana, Oregon, and Colorado. It controlled numerous county and city political offices in other areas of the country.
In Texas, the Klan had 170,000 hate filled members. They kidnapped and beat those who disagreed with them and, because they controlled local law enforcement, did so without fear. At the height of their power in Texas, Dan Moody, a young district attorney, prosecuted four Klansman for kidnapping and beating a traveling salesman. He obtained the first prison sentences against the 1920’s version of the Ku Klux Klan. He then turned to public opinion against them and engineered a massive electoral defeat of the Klan in the 1924 election which resulted in him being elected attorney general.
As attorney general, Moody dealt with the systematic corruption of the Ferguson administration. Ultimately, he was elected Texas’ youngest governor.
