A. Investigative Plan The goal of this investigation was to understand and determine the extent to which DC Stephenson affected the fall of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. During the 1920s, the Klan had a record number of members across the United States and constituted a large part of American society. The Klan was prevalent in everyday society and politics and was a positive presence for many Americans. However, the Klan was portrayed in a negative light due to Stephenson's kidnapping and rape of Madge Oberholtzer. Klan membership plummeted soon after, and many blame Stephenson. In order to decide whether or not Stephenson was responsible, the Klan was examined during and after Stephenson's involvement. DC Stephenson was also examined to better understand how he might have changed the course of the KKK. Sources that discussed the Klan and Stephenson have been examined, such as They called themselves the KKK, and. Citizen Klansmen: The Ku Klux Klan in Indiana. These sources, among others, have provided insight into DC Stephenson and how he affected the KKK.B. Summary of EvidenceThe Ku Klux Klan began in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1865 (Martin). Initially, a group of men started a social club, primarily for Confederate soldiers who had fought in the war. Its name is derived from kuklos, which means circle of friends (Martin). It was a secret society with rules and codes, and men were given special titles (Bartoletti, 25). The nature of the Klan was not originally destructive, but as it began to grow and more white men and Confederate soldiers joined, the goal changed. Tension grew across the country as Reconstruction was underway and white Southerners became dissatisfied. The Kl...... middle of paper ......." Dying Declaration of Madge Oberholtzer. Np, nd Web. April 13, 2014. "Ku Klux Klan." Civil Rights in the United States. Ed. Waldo E. Martin, Jr. and Patricia Sullivan New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2000. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, April 13, 2014. “Ku Klux Klan History.com,” nd Web April 2014. Lutholtz, M. William. . Great Dragon: DC Stephenson and the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana, IN: Purdue UP, 1991. Print. MacLean, Nancy Behind the Mask of Chivalry: The Making of the Second Ku Klux Klan. , 1994. Print. McDonnell, Janet, Ann Angel, and Carolyn Kott. America in the 20th Century, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 1995. Print. Moore, Leonard Joseph. 1928 Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 1991. Printed..