Exhibit on how ND students fought back the KKK coming to The History Museum

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The History Museum in South Bend is hosting an exhibit to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of a May 17, 1924, incident when University of Notre Dame students led hundreds of citizens into downtown South Bend to confront the Ku Klux Klan, leading to a three-day show of resistance against the Klan at the height of its power.

The exhibit will run from May 17 to October 13 and is free to the public.

From The History Museum:

Starting on the 100th anniversary of this clash, the exhibit RESIST!, hosted by The History Museum, opens in Beutter-Kernan Hall in the Community Learning Center at the St. Joe County Public Library, 305 S. Michigan Street. Produced by the Indiana Historical Society (IHS), it is a sister exhibit to one currently on view at the IHS in Indianapolis. The South Bend exhibit features a view of the intersection of Michigan and Wayne Streets where the clash originally happened and is augmented by items from The History Museum’s collection.

In partnership with the IHS, the University of Notre Dame, and the St. Joe County Public Library, RESIST! will be on view during regular library hours through October 13.

In 1924, during a time when the KKK was determined to show its power and secure its grip on state and local politics, the organization planned a rally in South Bend, home to the University of Notre Dame, one of the most renowned institutions of Catholic learning in the state. This moment set up a major flashpoint between the KKK and a religious group they had routinely villainized and persecuted. The event erupted over several days, eventually coming to a halt at the insistence of Father Matthew J. Walsh, University of Notre Dame’s president at the time.

The events of May 17, 1924, began as students walked down Michigan Street after crossing the Jefferson Boulevard Bridge. KKK members retreated into their headquarters in a building near the intersection of Jefferson and Wayne Street while the ND students gathered in what was then Hully & Mike’s, a cigar store near today’s downtown gridiron. Through a compelling graphic strategically placed on the St. Joe County Public Library’s second-floor window, visitors to RESIST! can see the existing corner of Michigan and Wayne Streets as it appeared in the 1924 when the KKK clashed with Notre Dame students.

"When the KKK tried to plan a rally to spread hate, Notre Dame students and local citizens resisted. This sister exhibit in South Bend brings an incredibly moving opportunity to learn the story while looking over the place where the bold confrontation happened,” said Brian Harding, The History Museum’s Executive Director. “We are proud to partner with the Indiana Historical Society and the University of Notre Dame to tell this story and honor all who continue to hold fast to the principles of equity.”

Artifacts from The History Museum archives will provide local evidence of KKK activity, both at the time of the 1924 clash and in more modern times, including sheet music of “The Bright Fiery Cross” a souvenir booklet from the film Birth of a Nation, the 1924 anti-Klan book “The Klan Inside Out” by Marion Monteval, a 1920s photograph of a local parade float supporting the KKK, articles and posters detailing Klan activity in St. Joseph County in the 1990s and early 2000s, flyers and materials made by anti-Klan resistance, and more.

Also included in the exhibit is a multimedia experience that tells of the Notre Dame and KKK confrontation. While visitors see a dynamic moving background showing what transpired, the story of the multi-day event is told from the perspective of four different characters.

"As we mark the moment 100 years ago when Notre Dame students joined with members of the local community to defend religious freedom and reject hate, we reflect on the bravery of those men and women who stood tall in defense of the principles upon which both Church and country were founded —namely, respect for the dignity and humanity of all people, regardless of background,” said Pedro Ribeiro, Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications at University of Notre Dame. “To that end, we are proud to join with the Indiana Historical Society and The History Museum to mark this pivotal moment in Indiana and Notre Dame history. As former University President Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., wrote, ‘Our words are buttressed by our deeds, and our deeds are inspired by our convictions.’ May the words and deeds of those who rejected hate and bigotry in the past inform and inspire us *today."

Photos, documents, media coverage, and more will immerse visitors in a wealth of information and context about how Notre Dame students and the South Bend community resisted the KKK. The exhibit also features stories of everyday Hoosiers who sought to fight discrimination and raises questions about how to combat hate.

According to historical accounts, the prominence of the KKK was revitalized in the 1920s following the release by the silent film “The Birth of a Nation.” When they made plans for a show of force in South Bend--especially against Catholics, Blacks, Jews, immigrants, and other “outsiders”—Notre Dame students met up with the KKK to show their resistance to the Klan.

“This is such a powerful story to tell, and an important moment in Indiana’s history,” said Jody Blankenship, IHS President and CEO. “Our goal is to help visitors understand how Hoosiers fought discrimination and hate in Indiana through this pivotal event and the context that surrounded it. Our hope is that visitors come away with not just more knowledge of the past, but also with a better understanding of how these lessons inform our future.”

The History Museum will offer a walking tour of significant points during the clash as part of the RESIST! exhibit.

RESIST! is presented by the Efroymson Family Fund, the Herbert Simon Family Foundation, and the University of Notre Dame. Additional support is provided by the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation, The Ackerman Foundation, and Indiana Humanities.

The St. Joe County Public Library is open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit is free.

For information, visit their website or call (574) 235-9664, ext. 6256.