History Minute (090): The origins of Races in KKK thought -- part 1

After Noah and his family survive the flood in Genesis 9 of the Bible, his three sons -- Shem, Ham, and Japheth -- became the fathers of peoples who spread out over the earth. However, before they did so, Noah  lay drunk and naked in his tent. After Ham tells his brothers that he saw Noah drunk and naked, Noah finds out and curses Ham's son, Canaan, that he should be the lowest of slaves to Japheth and Shem.

From this reading, KKK thought leaders proclaim that Ham is the originator of the Black race, Shem of the Semitic race, and Japheth of the Aryan / Nordic race. This line of KKK thinking is that this story proves God predestined Black people to be slaves, or at least, subordinate to White people, and was part of legitimizing slavery in the United States. The "kreed" of the Klan states, “We avow the distinction between the races of mankind as same has been decreed by the Creator, and we shall ever be true in the faithful maintenance of white supremacy and will strenuously oppose any compromise thereof in any and all things.”

So much for one of three competing views of race in KKK literature. More to follow.

Read more:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21567689.2020.1809384