Talk:Hiram Wesley Evans

Source

The source of this wikipedia entry is "Temperance Movement Groups and Leaders in the U.S.," from which the material in bold was taken. Omission of this source reference has now been corrected.David Justin 15:13, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Hiram Wesley Evans (1881–1966) was Imperial Wizard of the "second" Ku Klux Klan from 1922 until 1939.

The second Klan, often called the KKK of the 1920s, was established by failed minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and William J. Simmons in 1915 on Stone Mountain near Atlanta, Georgia. The first KKK (1865-1869) existed to oppose Reconstruction and maintain white control over former slaves in the regions of the former Confederate States of America.

The second Klan was also anti-African American, but it had a much wider agenda than the first. A nativist group, it was anti-Catholic]], anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, anti-labor union, and anti-socialist. It was also supportive of the temperance movement and alcohol prohibition, which it pledged to enforce.

Evans was a 32nd degree Mason who boasted of having helped re-elect Coolidge, of having secured passage of strict anti-immigration laws and of having checked the ambitions of Catholics and others intent on "perverting" the nation.

Evans' books include The Menace of Modern Immigration (1923), The Klan of Tomorrow (1924), Alienism in the Democracy (1927) The Rising Storm (1929), and The Klan Fights for Americanism. Evans' writing ended as the fortunes of the Klan faltered and then imploded by 1930.

Evans later betrayed the rest of the KKK members when, in 1939, he sold the clan's mailing list, thereby revealing all members of the KKK. Sources

• Hiram Wesley Evans from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Alexander, Charles C. The Ku Klux Klan in the Southwest. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1965.

Sourcing per Wikipedia policy

Per Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Spam/2008 Archive Aug 1#About 400 links to the two sites of one individual, links to blacklisted commercial personal webpages not meeting the criteria as a reliable source have been removed. Flowanda | Talk 06:03, 25 November 2008 (UTC)

GA Review

This review is transcluded from Talk:Hiram Wesley Evans/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Reviewer: Crisco 1492 (talk · contribs) 01:48, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

• I'll take this. Disclosure: I've contributed two images, but I don't think that made me a major contributor per the GA rules. Crisco 1492 (talk) 01:48, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Checklist

Rate	Attribute	Review Comment
	1. Well-written:
	1a. the prose is clear, concise, and understandable to an appropriately broad audience; spelling and grammar are correct.
	1b. it complies with the Manual of Style guidelines for lead sections, layout, words to watch, fiction, and list incorporation.	Fine
	2. Verifiable with no original research:
	2a. it contains a list of all references (sources of information), presented in accordance with the layout style guideline.	Fine
	2b. reliable sources are cited inline. All content that could reasonably be challenged, except for plot summaries and that which summarizes cited content elsewhere in the article, must be cited no later than the end of the paragraph (or line if the content is not in prose).	Fine
	2c. it contains no original research.	Fine
	3. Broad in its coverage:
	3a. it addresses the main aspects of the topic.	See below
	3b. it stays focused on the topic without going into unnecessary detail (see summary style).
	4. Neutral: it represents viewpoints fairly and without editorial bias, giving due weight to each.	Fine
	5. Stable: it does not change significantly from day to day because of an ongoing edit war or content dispute.	Per definition. Only constructive edits
	6. Illustrated, if possible, by media such as images, video, or audio:
	6a. media are tagged with their copyright statuses, and valid non-free use rationales are provided for non-free content.	Fine. Two PD per Library of Congress, one PD-no-renewal
	6b. media are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions.	Three images used. One for identification in the infobox, one showing him on the cover of Time, and one leading the Knights in full regalia. All have a use and are not merely dedcorative
	7. Overall assessment.	Pending

Comments

1

1a

General

• Why not cut back on the number of occurrences of Klan?
  • Hmm, I really did go overboard on that. Will control+F as I go down the page.

• Check capitalisation: World Court, Senator
  • Ok, de-capped.

Lede

• "Hiram Wesley Evans (September 26, 1881 – September, 1966) was Imperial Wizard, the national leader, of the Ku Klux Klan, an American white supremacist group, from 1922 to 1939." - A few too many asides (contextual information). Perhaps something like Hiram Wesley Evans (September 26, 1881 – September, 1966) was Imperial Wizard of the American white supremacist group Ku Klux Klan from 1922 to 1939. or something, with the definition of Imperial Wizard following (maybe in "Evans succeeded him, and in that leadership position, sought to transform the Klan into a political juggernaut.")
  • Ok, took your suggestion.
• "the Great Depression significantly decreased the Klan's income, prompting Evans to work for a construction company to supplement his income." -- Income ... income?
  • Ahh, that was slovenly of me :)
• Third paragraph - careful how you link. Why link Catholicism but not Protestantism or Judaism?
  • Linked all three.

Early life and education

• (There were later rumors that his dental qualifications were "a bit shady".) - A footnote instead, perhaps?
  • Yeah, good idea, added.
• Why not merge the two paragraphs? Both deal with how average he was.
  • Merged.

Early national life

• (He viewed a slight majority of Americans as of acceptable ethnic and religious background.) - Perhaps a way to work this into the earlier sentence?
  • Done.
• "Historian Leonard Moore speculates that Stephenson played a role in Evans' elevation to leader and received a leadership role in return." isn't that indicated above? Also, should not have two occasions of D. C. Stephenson.
  • Removed.

Internal conflicts

• Although Evans lived in parts of the Southern U.S. with few Catholics, he opposed Catholicism owing to his belief that the Catholic Church sought to take control of the United States government. - Might be more pertinent above, where his anti-Catholicism is introduced
  • Good point, moved it up.
• "Police subsequently alleged that Stephenson raped and murdered a girl in 1924; Stephenson maintained that the charges were orchestrated by Evans." - Was he charged, or did they just allege it?
  • Rephrased for clarity, he was charged and convicted.
• "away from the site of the controversial death." - Was it shown to have happened?
  • Yeah, she gave a whole story on her deathbed. In any case, I've rephrased a bit.

Growth and political activism

• "Evans also dramatically increased the Klan's assets, more than doubling them from July 1922 to July 1923." - Financial assets, material assets...?
  • Source just says "total assets".
    • Fair enough
• "Klan publications claimed that their launch of a printing plant and cuts in the cost of robe production dramatically lowered expenses." - Doesn't flow too well with the preceding sentences
  • Moved it a little, does this work?
    • Looks a bit better.
• "The Klan remained a divisive group among Republicans: their public endorsement of James Eli Watson for the vice-presidency damaged his chances." - Doesn't flow logically. Not sure how to reword this.
  • How's this?
    • Alright.
• The bits about Coolidge should be merged / put together
  • Not sure I quite understand what you're looking for here, but I moved one sentence.
    • I was thinking something like this

Decline

• "removed one of their leaders, a state legislator" - Who, if available? Probably notable
  • Good point, state legislators are notable per WP:POLITICIAN. There was one guy who set out to create articles on every Louisiana state legislator, if I recall correctly.
    • If we're thinking of the same person... that didn't end too well for him.
      • lol, pretty much.
• "alleging lurid misdeeds." - Such as?
  • Oh the usual, kidnapping, torture, burning people at the stake.

3

3a

• Anything on his life between 1940 and 1966? Crisco 1492 (talk) 01:58, 27 April 2012 (UTC)
  • Not that I could find, he really dropped off the map after leaving the Klan. I don't think there are any biographies specific to him, per se, he's really just only mentioned in histories of the Klan (which don't bother with what he did after he left the group.)
    • Perhaps an obituary from 1966?
      • Can't seem to find one, quite odd.
        • Maybe Grapple X could help with his fancy-dandy Highbeam account?
          • I pinged Grapple and another guy about it, not optimistic we can turn much up.
• Who are all the people you quote? David A. Horowitz, for example? Crisco 1492 (talk) 03:27, 27 April 2012 (UTC)
  • They're pretty much all historians, I got sick of writing Historian in front of everyone's names.
    • Looks better now
• Other well-known adversaries of Evans include The Dallas Morning News publisher George Dealey and Atlanta journalist Ralph McGill - What did they think?
  • The same thing as every sane person thought of him :)
• "He wrote several books, including The Menace of Modern Immigration (1923), The Klan of Tomorrow (1924), Alienism in the Democracy (1927), and The Rising Storm (1929)." - From this source. Perhaps a bit about these, at the very least as a bit about his views
  • Added in a brief mention for now, might add more later.
    • The years should probably be included... its somewhere in the MOS.
      • Added in the years, will take work to find other sources about them though.
• AGF on offline references for spotchecks.
  • Thanks!

Further discussion

• Looks fairly good. On hold for one week. Crisco 1492 (talk) 03:29, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

• Alright, this looks like it passes the GA standards. I'd expect a bit to be added about his post-Klan life when it becomes available, but it's not a deal breaker at this level. Crisco 1492 (talk) 06:42, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

• Ok, cool, thanks for the thorough and quick review! Mark Arsten (talk) 06:45, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

Status as featured article

This should not be a featured article. The KKK should receive NO positive publicity. Sun Adder (talk) 01:24, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

Not part of the criteria. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 01:45, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

I don't think this is really "positive publicity" for the Klan. And I really doubt anyone is going to join a white supremacist movement because this is a featured article. Mark Arsten (talk) 03:56, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

I'm not so sure it's "positive publicity" in that the man -- indeed the entire glut of KKK membership -- look like clowns in their amusingly freakish attire, and the article text covers significant aspects of infighting among the Christian extremists that comprised the historic KKK which is the same phenomena we see among the contemporary KKK, Aryan Nations, Christian Identity, National Vanguard, Stormfront, all the usual unsalted nuts that share the same core ideologies. From an historic context, featuring the odd Christian member assists in ensuring the overwhelming distain for such ideologies held by the vast majority of world citizens. If anything, an occasional reminder of how the religious apply their right wing ideologies -- from the KKK to Nazi Germany and the Jewish Hollocaust -- is a good thing. Damotclese (talk) 15:36, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

I must concur that the fact that this is a featured article is typical of the American posters who propagate their cultural racist swill to the rest of us English speakers. We do not need this. We do not care for the ugly aspect of American culture that never goes away. Good on you, that you have this as a featured article, but it only affirms an American bias and decidely ugly one that dominates the english wikipedia site. If we must endure this swill for one day, then so be it, but the fact that this is vote as an article tells me all I need to know about who moderates this place. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Xamalek (talk • contribs) at 05:28, 24 June 2013‎ (UTC)

I very much doubt the primary author of this article seeks to glorify racism. I think he just likes to write about strange topics. He also stated this in an interview with the Signpost a while back, in which he talked at length about keeping an NPOV. As for the people who 'moderate this place', they tend to come from all over the globe. Cheers, theFace 11:54, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

Making something a Featured Article doesn't indicate endorsement for its subject. If you actually read the article it has a fairly NPOV tone. Brutannica (talk) 15:50, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

Better review needed

I am concerned about the quality of the review of this article at FAC and the research that went in to the article; see a sampling of my concerns posted to WP:ERRORS, here. It should not be so easy to find these kinds of issues in just a few moments. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 04:04, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

• Both have been addressed, I believe. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 04:08, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

• Mark, I don't see anything about "lowering wages" in McVeigh 69. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 04:22, 24 June 2013 (UTC)
  • Looks to be on page 68, changed. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 04:52, 24 June 2013 (UTC)
• McVeigh 157 - The author gives a bit more context. I think the printing press' mention here is undue, as there were numerous other aspects emphasised. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 04:50, 24 June 2013 (UTC)
• Dobratz et al. only support background checks (but doesn't mention why). Wade supports much of the rest of the sentence, but does not connect background checks with violence. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 04:59, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

Dentist at the age of 19?

Did he really achieve his dentist license at the age of 19? Just seems too young for it... Amit (talk) 15:32, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

• "Questionable credentials" mentioned in the text. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 15:53, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

I did not understand your response but to clarify my comment - the article mentions he was born in September 1881 and received his dentist license in 1900 which would make him 18 or perhaps 19 at that time if he received his license after September 1900. Amit (talk) 16:10, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

That is strange, but it's a well-sourced claim [1]. Mark Arsten (talk) 16:15, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

This book and this book could probably explain the licensing and education requirements at that time. I can't seem to access them though. Mark Arsten (talk) 16:25, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

Is this article about Evans or the KKK?

There seems to be some confusion in the headings about the focus of this article. The article is supposed to be about Evens but many of the headings refer to the KKK rather than him:

• Internal conflicts - they are not Evans internal conflicts but the KKKs.
• Growth and political activism - his growth or the KKKs?
• Decline - again it talks about the KKKs decline - not Evans's.
• Downfall - is that his downfall or that of the KKK? And shouldn't his death get a mention in the heading.

Do others agree that these headings are confusing? Richerman (talk) 16:01, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

• His reason for notability, and thus his biography as covered in sources, is inherently related to the development of the KKK under his leadership. He received little to no interest either before or after joining the Klan; all of the literature is about him and his role in the Klan. Thus it's only natural that the Klan and Evans' vision for it should be dominant in the article. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 16:05, 24 June 2013 (UTC)
• I'm open to suggestions as far as headings go, I'm not married to these. Mark Arsten (talk) 16:16, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

It's not the content I'm concerned about it's the headings. How about:

• Internal conflicts under Evans' tenure
• Klan growth and political activism
• Decline of the Klan

and a seperated heading for his death. And couldn't that be expanded a little with what he died of? Richerman (talk) 16:27, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

Ok, I've changed the headers. I don't recall being able to find his cause of death, but I can look again. Mark Arsten (talk) 17:08, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

OK thanks. I can't find anything online. Richerman (talk) 17:34, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

Yeah, that was kind of a frustrating part of writing this. There was a TON of stuff about most of his life, but Crisco and I really had to work to fill in the details when he was out of the spotlight. Mark Arsten (talk) 17:37, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

I couldn't even find a decent obituary. Perhaps the newspapers thought he was best forgotten. Richerman (talk) 17:55, 24 June 2013 (UTC)

"Hiram Wesley Evans and travel at your own risk" listed at Redirects for discussion

The redirect Hiram Wesley Evans and travel at your own risk has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at Wikipedia:Redirects for discussion/Log/2023 May 3 § Hiram Wesley Evans and travel at your own risk until a consensus is reached. ThadeusOfNazereth(he/him)^{Talk to Me!} 16:47, 3 May 2023 (UTC)