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Maine History Online

Maine History Online

A Maine Historical Society Website

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The Nativist Klan

Ku Klux Klan procession, Portland, ca. 1923

Ku Klux Klan procession, Portland, ca. 1923

Item 1265 info
Maine Historical Society

The Klan continued to target Roman Catholics and sponsored a bill in the state Legislature in 1923 and 1924 to prohibit use of state funds for parochial or private schools.

The bill failed, largely due to opposition from the Catholic bishop in Portland and from Catholics throughout the state, who comprised about 20 percent of the total population.