Rare KKK Artifacts Uncovered in Mississippi State Office

Notebook, ledger, and other materials from the white supremacist group transferred to state archives

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:38pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a Ku Klux Klan robe, hood, and insignia against a stark black background, conveying the gritty, investigative nature of uncovering this disturbing history.The discovery of rare Ku Klux Klan artifacts in a Mississippi state office serves as a disturbing reminder of the group's deep ties to law enforcement and the need to confront this history.Mississippi State Today

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has uncovered a trove of Ku Klux Klan artifacts, including a handbook, charters, a robe, recruitment materials, and meeting notes, while clearing out an office. The items have been transferred to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, where officials say it will take months to process all the materials.

Why it matters

The discovery of these KKK artifacts serves as a stark reminder of the violent white supremacist group's history in Mississippi and the importance of preserving such materials to ensure the lessons of the past are not forgotten. Black civil rights advocates view this as an opportunity to shed light on the Klan's links to law enforcement and the need to ensure no current officers hold such beliefs.

The details

Among the items found were a notebook with meeting minutes, a ledger, a handbook for the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Klan charters, a Klan robe, KKK recruitment materials, propaganda, and a list of members who paid and didn't pay their dues. Officials say the discovery highlights the Klan's history of terrorism, including lynchings, church burnings, and the 1964 'Mississippi Burning' killings of three civil rights workers.

  • The artifacts were uncovered last week as the Mississippi Department of Public Safety prepared to relocate to new headquarters.

The players

Mississippi Department of Public Safety

The state agency that uncovered the KKK artifacts while clearing out an office.

Mississippi Department of Archives and History

The agency now in possession of the KKK artifacts, which officials say will take months to process.

Charles Taylor

Executive director of the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP, who is glad these stories are coming out because of the Klan's painful history in the state.

Sean Tindell

Public Safety Commissioner, who said preserving these artifacts and shedding light on such organizations helps ensure future generations are never led astray by such hate.

Barry White

Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, who said the administrative records and charter are significant given the Klan's notorious secrecy.

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What they’re saying

“I'm glad these stories are coming out because it was a real pain.”

— Charles Taylor, Executive director of the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP

“Mississippi Highway Patrol Troopers and agents with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety have worked for decades with our federal law enforcement partners to shed light on the darkness in which groups like the Ku Klux Klan chose to operate. By preserving these artifacts and shedding light on such organizations, we help ensure that future generations are never led astray by such hate.”

— Sean Tindell, Public Safety Commissioner

“MDAH is grateful to Commissioner Tindell for recognizing the historical significance of this material and transferring it to the archives. These records will give researchers broader access to documentation that deepens our understanding of Ku Klux Klan activities in Mississippi during the 1960s.”

— Barry White, Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History

What’s next

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History says it will take months to fully process and catalog all of the KKK artifacts that were uncovered.

The takeaway

This discovery of rare KKK artifacts in a state government office serves as a sobering reminder of the group's deep ties to law enforcement and the importance of confronting and preserving this history, rather than allowing it to be buried, in order to ensure such hateful ideologies are never allowed to take root again.