Life of a Klansman: A Family History in White Supremacy by Edward Ball

Klansman: A Family History in White Supremacy by Edward Ball is a unique historical investigation and personal narrative. The book details the history of Ball’s family and exposes their involvement in the Ku Klux Klan from its early days in the late 1800s until its decline in the 1960s. Ball, who is white and grew up in the south, grew curious about his family’s involvement in the Klan and decided to do the research to uncover the truth. Using archival documents, newspaper clippings, family letters and photographs, he wrote a comprehensive story about the lives of his relatives and their involvement in a hateful movement. The story begins with his great-great grandfather and uncovers what happened to each generation, leading up to his own parents.

Klansman delves deeply into the ideology of white supremacy that has been passed down and perpetuated through generations of Ball’s family. The book opens with a dedication to his late mother and father, “who without knowing it, indoctrinated me into a belief system and a code of conduct that became so thoroughly habitual in me it was invisible.” He speaks of his family’s values of racial superiority, anti-Semitism, exclusion and exclusionary tactics - creating a power structure and safe harbor for those who shared their beliefs. This indoctrination was passed down to each generation, leading up to Ball himself, who was born in 1955.

Ball discusses his difficulties in acknowledging the truth of his family’s legacy and the way in which it has shaped his life. He writes of his embarrassment, confusion and guilt, asking “How did I, who was born to Confederate ancestors, in 1965 Federal-mandated integration come to study civil rights? How did I, with a father and grandfather in the Ku Klux Klan, end up measuring my days and some of my success by my commitment to racial equality?” He goes on to highlight the fragility of history and how it can easily be distorted or forgotten, writing that “all history, it seems to me, is ultimately the story of renegotiated memory.” He ultimately concludes that our own personal, familial and collective history cannot be ignored, but should be acknowledged in order to move forward.

Klansman outlines Ball’s journey in understanding his family’s past and his own identity as both a Southerner and a “Klansman”. It explores the difficult topics of identity, family history and white supremacy and offers an unflinching look at the reality of racism in the United States. The book is both enlightening and heart-wrenching, and Ball’s courage in unraveling his past provides insight into the painful history of racism in the United States and how it continues to plague us today. Speaking at length of how his childhood was shaped and colored by what he was exposed to, Ball ultimately arrives at a place of understanding, forgiveness and love. He offers an example of coming to terms with one’s own history, and encourages readers to do the same.