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Roy Davis: Difference between revisions
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By January 1919, Davis was released from prison, returned to Aldersville, Georgia, and had resumed preaching as a Missionary Baptist minister under the name Lon Davis.<ref>{{cite news|title=Minister Debating Church Differences|publisher=Columbus Ledger|date=January 15, 1919}}</ref> Davis posed as a Christian missionary]] bound for Egypt to gain the trust of the community and was later offered the pastorship of the Acworth Baptist Church during the summer of 1920.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christian Church|publisher=The Liberal Democrat|date=August 14, 1919}}</ref> In 1921 Davis started publishing ''The Progress'' newsletter from the church. The newsletter focused on exposing what Davis believed were secret subversive activities of the Catholic Church.<ref>{{cite news|title=Listen!|publisher=Marietta Journal|date=April 14, 1921}}</ref> Davis also began holding Ku Klux Klan meetings at the church. Although unknown to his church, Davis had been appointed by Imperial Wizard William Joseph Simmons as an official spokesperson for the KKK and charged with organizing new chapters of the KKK. Members of his church became upset about some of the material Davis published in ''The Progress'' and began investigating his past. They soon discovered his criminal record in Texas, and discovered he had abandoned his wife and children. At a meeting on July 14, 1921, he was removed as pastor. | By January 1919, Davis was released from prison, returned to Aldersville, Georgia, and had resumed preaching as a Missionary Baptist minister under the name Lon Davis.<ref>{{cite news|title=Minister Debating Church Differences|publisher=Columbus Ledger|date=January 15, 1919}}</ref> Davis posed as a Christian missionary]] bound for Egypt to gain the trust of the community and was later offered the pastorship of the Acworth Baptist Church during the summer of 1920.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christian Church|publisher=The Liberal Democrat|date=August 14, 1919}}</ref> In 1921 Davis started publishing ''The Progress'' newsletter from the church. The newsletter focused on exposing what Davis believed were secret subversive activities of the Catholic Church.<ref>{{cite news|title=Listen!|publisher=Marietta Journal|date=April 14, 1921}}</ref> Davis also began holding Ku Klux Klan meetings at the church. Although unknown to his church, Davis had been appointed by Imperial Wizard William Joseph Simmons as an official spokesperson for the KKK and charged with organizing new chapters of the KKK. Members of his church became upset about some of the material Davis published in ''The Progress'' and began investigating his past. They soon discovered his criminal record in Texas, and discovered he had abandoned his wife and children. At a meeting on July 14, 1921, he was removed as pastor. | ||
Davis ran into legal problems again in 1921. He purchased the printing press for ''The Progress'' newsletter using a fraudulent check, swindling the seller out of $1,000.<ref>{{cite news|title=Davis' Record in Texas Aired By Ku Klux Klan|publisher=Wise County Messenger|date=August 26, 1921}}</ref> After being exposed in Georgia, Davis left the state, leaving by train with his wife and their five-year-old daughter. They traveled to Oklahoma where Davis continued holding revival meetings in Baptist churches and conducting KKK recruiting.<ref> | Davis ran into legal problems again in 1921. He purchased the printing press for ''The Progress'' newsletter using a fraudulent check, swindling the seller out of $1,000.<ref>{{cite news|title=Davis' Record in Texas Aired By Ku Klux Klan|publisher=Wise County Messenger|date=August 26, 1921}}</ref> After being exposed in Georgia, Davis left the state, leaving by train with his wife and their five-year-old daughter. They traveled to Oklahoma where Davis continued holding revival meetings in Baptist churches and conducting KKK recruiting.<ref>''Revival Meetings'', McCurtain Gazzette, August 3, 1921</ref><ref>''Great Revival At Shults being Held By Rev, Davis'', McCurtain Gazzette, August 27, 1921</ref> | ||
==Ku Klux Klan== | |||
Davis was reported to be among the founding members of the William J. Simmons revival of the Ku Klux Klan. Davis also told newspaper reporters that he was a coauthor of the KKK's constitution, bylaws and rituals which were first published in 1921.<ref>''Ku Klux Klan Active In Shreveport Area'', The Times of Shreveport, February 10, 1961</ref> | |||
In 1922, Davis returned to Georgia where he began to speak openly supporting the Ku Klux Klan. He held rallies and meetings to recruit members in Georgia, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and South Carolina.<ref> | In 1922, Davis returned to Georgia where he began to speak openly supporting the Ku Klux Klan. He held rallies and meetings to recruit members in Georgia, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and South Carolina.<ref>''The K.K.K Lecture Held Last Night'', The Hutchinson News, May 30, 1922</ref> Newspapers articles at the time reported Davis to be a "high Klan official". The newspapers also began recording and reporting on his speeches in which he explained the principles of the KKK to include "white supremacy" and "protection of pure womanhood". Davis bragged about his recruitment efforts and the reach of the KKK, stating that he had been involved in recruitment across the southern and midwestern United States. He reported 92,000 KKK members in Oklahoma and Texas. Davis also boasted that governors, congressmen, and United States Senators had joined the KKK in recent years. | ||
Davis faced legal trouble again in September 1922 when complaints were filed against him in connection to a burglary case in Waco, Texas. He was accused of stealing firearms from the United States Marshalls.<ref> | Davis faced legal trouble again in September 1922 when complaints were filed against him in connection to a burglary case in Waco, Texas. He was accused of stealing firearms from the United States Marshalls.<ref>''Two Burglary Complaints Are Filed in Case of Lon Davis'', Waco News Tribune, September 15, 1922</ref> Davis was also named in connection to a 1923 criminal investigation in Louisiana.<ref name = "nsj"/> | ||
The KKK started a newspaper in 1923 titled ''The Brick Bat'' and Davis was named editor. Its articles publicly degraded and attacked KKK opponents, calling for boycotts of unsupportive businesses. In May 1923, Davis instigated physical violence when two business owners he targeted in his publication were involved in an altercation with KKK members.<ref>{{cite news|title=Freed After Alleged Attack on Reported Klan Leader|publisher=The Town Talk|date=May 28, 1923}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Alleged Assailants of Klansmen Freed|publisher=Columbus Enquirer Sun|date=May 29, 1923}}</ref> Despite the violence, Davis continued to publish his attacks against Klan opponents. One of The Brick Bat's targets filed charges against Davis and he was subsequently arrested in Georgia and charged with criminal libel on June 24, 1923.<ref>{{cite news|title=Criminal Libel Charge to Face Brickbat Editor|publisher=The Atlanta Constitution|date=June 25, 1923}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Editor of Brick Bat Is Accused Of Libel|publisher=Macon Daily Telegraph|date=June 27, 1923}}</ref> | The KKK started a newspaper in 1923 titled ''The Brick Bat'' and Davis was named editor. Its articles publicly degraded and attacked KKK opponents, calling for boycotts of unsupportive businesses. In May 1923, Davis instigated physical violence when two business owners he targeted in his publication were involved in an altercation with KKK members.<ref>{{cite news|title=Freed After Alleged Attack on Reported Klan Leader|publisher=The Town Talk|date=May 28, 1923}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Alleged Assailants of Klansmen Freed|publisher=Columbus Enquirer Sun|date=May 29, 1923}}</ref> Despite the violence, Davis continued to publish his attacks against Klan opponents. One of The Brick Bat's targets filed charges against Davis and he was subsequently arrested in Georgia and charged with criminal libel on June 24, 1923.<ref>{{cite news|title=Criminal Libel Charge to Face Brickbat Editor|publisher=The Atlanta Constitution|date=June 25, 1923}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Editor of Brick Bat Is Accused Of Libel|publisher=Macon Daily Telegraph|date=June 27, 1923}}</ref> | ||