Courtesy of Archaeology and Material Culture:
Most of the pastors identified as Klansmen did not acknowledge their sympathies to the Invisible Empire in the press, but William Henry Brightmire was unapologetically proud of his Klan membership. In December 1922 The Fiery Cross reported that Brightmire, Pastor of Indianapolis' Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, had been publicly identified as a Klansman and "received numerous letters from men who desired to join the society." A month later Brightmire appeared as a featured speaker at a Klan rally in Decauter, Illinois, and in April The Fiery Cross reported that "Rev. Wm. H. Brightmire will address a 100% American meeting held at Hillside Christian church."
Pastor William Henry Brightmire advertised the Wesley ME Church's "cross demonstration and lawn social" in the 13 July 1923 edition of The Fiery Cross.
Brightmire was born in 1862 in Huntington County, Indiana, and between 1884 and 1917 he served congregations in Elkhart, Sheridan, and Evansville as well as Ohio congregations in Dayton, Cleveland, and Akron. In late 1917 Brightmire came to Indianapolis where he became Pastor of the Maple Road Methodist Episcopal Church, and then a year later he was named Pastor of Fletcher Place ME Church. By the time Brightmire was identified as a Klansmen in Tolerance in March 1923, he was Pastor of Wesley ME Church at the corner of West New York and North Elder Streets in Haughville. Brightmire continued to lecture for Klan causes or at Klan events through summer 1923, events that sometimes bore the apparent support of his church: in July, for instance, The Fiery Cross advertised a "fiery cross demonstration and lawn social" to be held under the "auspices [of] Wesley ME Church—Pastor Brightmire." In August Brightmire presided over a Klansman's funeral, but in September Indiana's Methodist Episcopal conference met and the Indianapolis News reported that "Leave of absence has been granted W. H. Brightmire. pastor of Wesley Chapel, and he was left without an assignment."
Brightmire's ministerial career was over, but he continued to advocate for the Klan. In October 1924 The Fiery Cross referred to Brightmire as the "Imperial Lecturer,"and when Brightmire was called as a witness at a 1926 trial The Indianapolis Star called him a "former national Ku Klux Klan lecturer." In September 1928 Brightmire appeared at an Indianapolis meeting organized by the Klan, with the "former Methodist minister" accusing Democratic Presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith of being "wet" and reviving support for the Klan. Brightmire accepted membership applications after his lecture, but the Klan had collapsed as a political force in the wake of Grand Dragon D.C. Stephenson's 1925 murder conviction and Stephenson's subsequent revelations of the Klan's bribery and control of Indiana politics. Nevertheless, Brightmire told his Indianapolis audience that the Klan "was here to stay." By his 1928 appearance Brightmire had become critical of Stephenson's foray into politics, and the former Pastor concluded that and that "'The Ku Klux Klan is not going into politics again. … We only stand for the things that are clean.'" In January 1929 Brightmire registered as a lobbyist for the "Indianapolis Protestant Club," but there is no evidence Brightmire or the Klan maintained their legislative influence, and in 1931 he and his wife moved to Evanston Illinois to live with a son. Brightmire preached at his former Indianapolis churches when visiting the Circle City in the 1930s, and he died in November 1939.
Most of the pastors identified as Klansmen did not acknowledge their sympathies to the Invisible Empire in the press, but William Henry Brightmire was unapologetically proud of his Klan membership. In December 1922 The Fiery Cross reported that Brightmire, Pastor of Indianapolis' Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, had been publicly identified as a Klansman and "received numerous letters from men who desired to join the society." A month later Brightmire appeared as a featured speaker at a Klan rally in Decauter, Illinois, and in April The Fiery Cross reported that "Rev. Wm. H. Brightmire will address a 100% American meeting held at Hillside Christian church."
Pastor William Henry Brightmire advertised the Wesley ME Church's "cross demonstration and lawn social" in the 13 July 1923 edition of The Fiery Cross.
Brightmire was born in 1862 in Huntington County, Indiana, and between 1884 and 1917 he served congregations in Elkhart, Sheridan, and Evansville as well as Ohio congregations in Dayton, Cleveland, and Akron. In late 1917 Brightmire came to Indianapolis where he became Pastor of the Maple Road Methodist Episcopal Church, and then a year later he was named Pastor of Fletcher Place ME Church. By the time Brightmire was identified as a Klansmen in Tolerance in March 1923, he was Pastor of Wesley ME Church at the corner of West New York and North Elder Streets in Haughville. Brightmire continued to lecture for Klan causes or at Klan events through summer 1923, events that sometimes bore the apparent support of his church: in July, for instance, The Fiery Cross advertised a "fiery cross demonstration and lawn social" to be held under the "auspices [of] Wesley ME Church—Pastor Brightmire." In August Brightmire presided over a Klansman's funeral, but in September Indiana's Methodist Episcopal conference met and the Indianapolis News reported that "Leave of absence has been granted W. H. Brightmire. pastor of Wesley Chapel, and he was left without an assignment."
Brightmire's ministerial career was over, but he continued to advocate for the Klan. In October 1924 The Fiery Cross referred to Brightmire as the "Imperial Lecturer,"and when Brightmire was called as a witness at a 1926 trial The Indianapolis Star called him a "former national Ku Klux Klan lecturer." In September 1928 Brightmire appeared at an Indianapolis meeting organized by the Klan, with the "former Methodist minister" accusing Democratic Presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith of being "wet" and reviving support for the Klan. Brightmire accepted membership applications after his lecture, but the Klan had collapsed as a political force in the wake of Grand Dragon D.C. Stephenson's 1925 murder conviction and Stephenson's subsequent revelations of the Klan's bribery and control of Indiana politics. Nevertheless, Brightmire told his Indianapolis audience that the Klan "was here to stay." By his 1928 appearance Brightmire had become critical of Stephenson's foray into politics, and the former Pastor concluded that and that "'The Ku Klux Klan is not going into politics again. … We only stand for the things that are clean.'" In January 1929 Brightmire registered as a lobbyist for the "Indianapolis Protestant Club," but there is no evidence Brightmire or the Klan maintained their legislative influence, and in 1931 he and his wife moved to Evanston Illinois to live with a son. Brightmire preached at his former Indianapolis churches when visiting the Circle City in the 1930s, and he died in November 1939.
Courtesy of Archaeology and Material Culture:
Most of the pastors identified as Klansmen did not acknowledge their sympathies to the Invisible Empire in the press, but William Henry Brightmire was unapologetically proud of his Klan membership. In December 1922 The Fiery Cross reported that Brightmire, Pastor of Indianapolis' Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, had been publicly identified as a Klansman and "received numerous letters from men who desired to join the society." A month later Brightmire appeared as a featured speaker at a Klan rally in Decauter, Illinois, and in April The Fiery Cross reported that "Rev. Wm. H. Brightmire will address a 100% American meeting held at Hillside Christian church."
Pastor William Henry Brightmire advertised the Wesley ME Church's "cross demonstration and lawn social" in the 13 July 1923 edition of The Fiery Cross.
Brightmire was born in 1862 in Huntington County, Indiana, and between 1884 and 1917 he served congregations in Elkhart, Sheridan, and Evansville as well as Ohio congregations in Dayton, Cleveland, and Akron. In late 1917 Brightmire came to Indianapolis where he became Pastor of the Maple Road Methodist Episcopal Church, and then a year later he was named Pastor of Fletcher Place ME Church. By the time Brightmire was identified as a Klansmen in Tolerance in March 1923, he was Pastor of Wesley ME Church at the corner of West New York and North Elder Streets in Haughville. Brightmire continued to lecture for Klan causes or at Klan events through summer 1923, events that sometimes bore the apparent support of his church: in July, for instance, The Fiery Cross advertised a "fiery cross demonstration and lawn social" to be held under the "auspices [of] Wesley ME Church—Pastor Brightmire." In August Brightmire presided over a Klansman's funeral, but in September Indiana's Methodist Episcopal conference met and the Indianapolis News reported that "Leave of absence has been granted W. H. Brightmire. pastor of Wesley Chapel, and he was left without an assignment."
Brightmire's ministerial career was over, but he continued to advocate for the Klan. In October 1924 The Fiery Cross referred to Brightmire as the "Imperial Lecturer,"and when Brightmire was called as a witness at a 1926 trial The Indianapolis Star called him a "former national Ku Klux Klan lecturer." In September 1928 Brightmire appeared at an Indianapolis meeting organized by the Klan, with the "former Methodist minister" accusing Democratic Presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith of being "wet" and reviving support for the Klan. Brightmire accepted membership applications after his lecture, but the Klan had collapsed as a political force in the wake of Grand Dragon D.C. Stephenson's 1925 murder conviction and Stephenson's subsequent revelations of the Klan's bribery and control of Indiana politics. Nevertheless, Brightmire told his Indianapolis audience that the Klan "was here to stay." By his 1928 appearance Brightmire had become critical of Stephenson's foray into politics, and the former Pastor concluded that and that "'The Ku Klux Klan is not going into politics again. … We only stand for the things that are clean.'" In January 1929 Brightmire registered as a lobbyist for the "Indianapolis Protestant Club," but there is no evidence Brightmire or the Klan maintained their legislative influence, and in 1931 he and his wife moved to Evanston Illinois to live with a son. Brightmire preached at his former Indianapolis churches when visiting the Circle City in the 1930s, and he died in November 1939.
Most of the pastors identified as Klansmen did not acknowledge their sympathies to the Invisible Empire in the press, but William Henry Brightmire was unapologetically proud of his Klan membership. In December 1922 The Fiery Cross reported that Brightmire, Pastor of Indianapolis' Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, had been publicly identified as a Klansman and "received numerous letters from men who desired to join the society." A month later Brightmire appeared as a featured speaker at a Klan rally in Decauter, Illinois, and in April The Fiery Cross reported that "Rev. Wm. H. Brightmire will address a 100% American meeting held at Hillside Christian church."
Pastor William Henry Brightmire advertised the Wesley ME Church's "cross demonstration and lawn social" in the 13 July 1923 edition of The Fiery Cross.
Brightmire was born in 1862 in Huntington County, Indiana, and between 1884 and 1917 he served congregations in Elkhart, Sheridan, and Evansville as well as Ohio congregations in Dayton, Cleveland, and Akron. In late 1917 Brightmire came to Indianapolis where he became Pastor of the Maple Road Methodist Episcopal Church, and then a year later he was named Pastor of Fletcher Place ME Church. By the time Brightmire was identified as a Klansmen in Tolerance in March 1923, he was Pastor of Wesley ME Church at the corner of West New York and North Elder Streets in Haughville. Brightmire continued to lecture for Klan causes or at Klan events through summer 1923, events that sometimes bore the apparent support of his church: in July, for instance, The Fiery Cross advertised a "fiery cross demonstration and lawn social" to be held under the "auspices [of] Wesley ME Church—Pastor Brightmire." In August Brightmire presided over a Klansman's funeral, but in September Indiana's Methodist Episcopal conference met and the Indianapolis News reported that "Leave of absence has been granted W. H. Brightmire. pastor of Wesley Chapel, and he was left without an assignment."
Brightmire's ministerial career was over, but he continued to advocate for the Klan. In October 1924 The Fiery Cross referred to Brightmire as the "Imperial Lecturer,"and when Brightmire was called as a witness at a 1926 trial The Indianapolis Star called him a "former national Ku Klux Klan lecturer." In September 1928 Brightmire appeared at an Indianapolis meeting organized by the Klan, with the "former Methodist minister" accusing Democratic Presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith of being "wet" and reviving support for the Klan. Brightmire accepted membership applications after his lecture, but the Klan had collapsed as a political force in the wake of Grand Dragon D.C. Stephenson's 1925 murder conviction and Stephenson's subsequent revelations of the Klan's bribery and control of Indiana politics. Nevertheless, Brightmire told his Indianapolis audience that the Klan "was here to stay." By his 1928 appearance Brightmire had become critical of Stephenson's foray into politics, and the former Pastor concluded that and that "'The Ku Klux Klan is not going into politics again. … We only stand for the things that are clean.'" In January 1929 Brightmire registered as a lobbyist for the "Indianapolis Protestant Club," but there is no evidence Brightmire or the Klan maintained their legislative influence, and in 1931 he and his wife moved to Evanston Illinois to live with a son. Brightmire preached at his former Indianapolis churches when visiting the Circle City in the 1930s, and he died in November 1939.
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