Plaintiffs: Georgians attacked by Klansmen during a 1987 interracial march
Defendants: Southern White Knights, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (GA); Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (LA); members and officials of various Klan groups
Date(s) of Disposition:
10/25/1988: Judgment for the plaintiffs
07/12/1994: Consent Order regarding 1993 and 1994 settlement agreements
Complaint
: Complaint 3-24-87
Settlement
: Order and amended settlement agreement 7-12-94
Judgment
: Judgment 10-25-88
Peaceful marchers attacked
On the anniversary of Dr. King's birth in 1987, as an interracial group marched in all-white Forsyth County, Ga., Klansmen throwing rocks and bottles forced the group back.
Center attorneys sued to vindicate the marchers' rights. In October 1988, a federal jury assessed nearly $1 million in damages against two Klan organizations and 11 followers responsible for the attack.
To ensure the Klan felt the financial pressure of the verdict, Center investigators traced the assets of the major Klan defendant, the Invisible Empire, over a five-year period. In 1994, the Invisible Empire was forced to pay damages and disband. The group's office equipment was given to the NAACP.
