Edward Young Clarke was the Imperial Wizard ''

pro tempore ''Pro tempore'' (), abbreviated ''pro tem'' or ''p.t.'', is a Latin phrase which best translates to 'for the time being' in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a '' locum tenens'' ('placeholder'). The phrase is ...

'' of the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...

from 1915 to 1922. Prior to his Klan activities, Clarke headed the Atlanta-based Southern Publicity Association. He later served as the president of Monarch Publishing, a book publishing company.

Biography

Early life

Edward Young Clarke was born in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

according to census records. He grew up in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, as his mother, Elnora Harrison Clarke, and his father, Colonel Edward Y. Clarke Sr. were both longtime citizens of the city. His father was the owner of ''

The Atlanta Constitution ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (''AJC'') is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merge ...

'' newspaper from 1870 to 1876, whose managing editor was his brother, Francis Clarke.

KKK Activities

In the early 20th century, Clarke joined the Ku Klux Klan, which had been reborn in Atlanta. He then served as the Imperial Wizard ''

'' of the

from 1915 to 1922. He devised the "kluxing" system of payments to the hierarchy within the Klan. Along with Elizabeth Tyler, he helped to turn the initially anemic second

into a mass-membership organization with a broader social agenda. In March 1924, he pleaded guilty to violating the

Mann Act The Mann Act, previously called the White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910, is a United States federal law, passed June 25, 1910 (ch. 395, ; ''codified as amended at'' ). It is named after Congressman James Robert Mann (Illinois politician), James Rob ...

, after being arrested for a violent attack against a young woman who worked for him. Clarke was spared prison, but fined $5,000. In 1940, he was arrested in Chicago for failing to pay a $600 hotel bill, cashing a $76 worthless check, and the failing to repay $600 he borrowed from a Chicago woman.

Book publisher

He was the President of Monarch Publishing, a book publishing company.Anthony Slide, ''American Racist: The Life and Films of Thomas Dixon'', Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 2004, pp. 186-18

/ref> In 1939, he published the novel '' The Flaming Sword (novel), The Flaming Sword'' by Thomas Dixon Jr.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Edward Young 1877 births Year of death missing Former Ku Klux Klan members People convicted of violating the Mann Act Businesspeople from Louisiana American advertising executives American businesspeople convicted of crimes American book publishers (people) Businesspeople from Atlanta Activists from Atlanta American Ku Klux Klan members convicted of crimes