On this day, July 11, in 1954

The first known chapter of the White Citizens Council was founded in Indianola, Mississippi, and within a few months had spread to the rest of the Deep South. The White Citizens Council had white supremacist beliefs similar to that of the KKK, but they used economic pressure and political tactics rather than direct violence in order to oppress people of color. The Council was often referred to as an “uptown Klan,” as many members were in positions of power. Its successor organization, the Council of Conservative Citizens, is still actively promoting many of the same racist principles today. And some people argue America’s racist legacy is in the past!