One hundred years ago, on September 1st, 1924, the Ku Klux Klan held a Labor Day Parade in Saco. They paraded down Main Street in Saco, many wearing the easily recognized KKK garb, but some paraded only donned with the headpieces, and some, without any head pieces at all.  It was reported to the citizens of Biddeford that the Klan wanted to parade across the bridges into Biddeford.

At that time, the KKK was very active in the State of Maine and at its peak, their membership grew to over 150,000. This membership was among the largest in the country. The larger groups were found in the communities of Portland, Lewiston, and Brewer, but they were not limited to those areas.  The first Klan parade in the State of Maine was held in Milo, Maine on Sept 3, 1923, a small town in Piscataquis County which had a population of about 1100 people.

Since Maine was not a diverse state in the 1920’s, rather than focusing on African Americans, the Maine Klan primarily targeted immigrants and Roman Catholics, including Irish, Canadians, and Jewish community members. These ethnic and religious groups were deemed inferior to the middle-class Protestant citizens who considered themselves to be “true Americans.”

Initially, the Ku Klux Klan was formed after the Civil War to prevent freed slaves from gaining political power and integrating into white American society. The growth of the Klan in Maine was, in part, a revival of old divisions which began in 1843 with the political “Know Nothing” movement in New York. This Nativist movement focused on Irish and German Catholics whom they felt couldn’t be loyal to the United States, because they were under the control of the Pope.

Between the years of 1850-1930, millions of new immigrants came to the US in hope of better lives and opportunities. These immigrants took jobs in the textile mills and on the farms and included French Canadians, Italians, Poles, Greeks, Lithuanians, and others, many of whom were Catholic or members of Jewish communities. Most did not speak English. They started their own churches and schools in a desire to maintain their cultures, languages, and traditions, and these actions made assimilation with the general public more difficult. The failure and refusal to assimilate was considered a threat to the country by many of the white Americans in communities throughout the United States. The Klan, in the 1920’s, was revived and grew with a focus of “what made one an American.” The Klan did not define or consider these immigrants as being Americans or as belonging in this country.

Eugene Farnsworth of Maine was a charismatic speaker and became King Kleagle of the Klan. Much of the growth and success of the Klan in Maine can be attributed to him, as he spurred its growth in the state. The Klan in Maine focused on fraternal rites, parades, and political campaigns to spread their message. In 1924, the Klan backed Republican Ralph Brewster who was running for governor. It is not clear that he was a member of the Klan, but he was supported by them. He was elected Governor in 1924, and this was considered a Klan victory. The Klan backed many others running for office to accomplish its goals.  Their agenda included stopping state funding for parochial schools, requiring that students read from the Protestant Bible in school, and requiring that the only language spoken in schools was English.  The Klan targeted Catholic groups and figures such as the Pope, Jesuits, and the Knights of Columbus. They did not want Catholics and Jews on public school boards.

In some cities there was strong opposition to Klan activities, particularly by Catholics. This happened in Biddeford on the fateful day, September 1st, 1924, and in the weeks leading up to it.

In 1924, a Labor Day parade of Klansmen was organized to start in Saco with plans to parade down Main Street in Saco, to Main Street in Biddeford up to Biddeford City Hall, and they would return to Saco by use of the Elm Street bridge.  Word of this became public, and articles were placed in the Portland Evening Express and Biddeford Journal, as well as La Justice, a Biddeford French newspaper. Tensions were running high on both sides of the bridges.

Mayor John Smith of Saco was quoted as saying “ If the young roughneck crowd from Biddeford comes over and attempts to start anything, they will get what is coming to them. If this crowd of Biddeford roughnecks stays home, there will be no trouble.”  The next day, Mayor Edward Drapeau, the son of Canadian immigrants, replied to this comment in the Biddeford Journal. Here is part of his response:

“The young citizens of Biddeford have never appeared in gangs with masks to conceal their features and to my knowledge they have never gathered themselves together for the purpose of organized intimidation, if not violence. For my own part, I wish to warn the Kluxers and their friends to remain in the friendly precincts of Saco on Monday, September 1st, and at all times thereafter. I intend to use all resources at my command to prevent this lawless organization of the forces of bigotry and ignorance which unfortunately exists in our neighboring communities from inciting acts of violence in this city.”

Mayor Drapeau condemned the Mayor of Saco for allowing the KKK to parade. He ordered the Chief of Police of Biddeford to have a special force at each bridge to stop the parade if they tried to enter Biddeford. This was all printed in the newspaper. The next day, the Portland Press Herald wrote that the Klan stated they never intended to cross into Biddeford.

Thousands of Klan supporters were expected to attend, but only about 300 showed up to march, some in costume and some without their robes and hoods. Many people lined their route, some in support and others to vilify them in an early show of unity and community. Stories reveal that the Irish of Biddeford banded with the Franco-Americans and blocked the Bradbury Bridge, on Elm Street, while the Franco’s blocked the Main Street Bridge by Factory Island. They were armed and ready to defend their rights and city against the Ku Klux Klan. Saco constables were guarding the bridges at Elm Street and York Hill. They prevented the marchers from crossing into Biddeford. The Irish and the Franco-Americans were waiting for them on the other side, armed with rocks and bricks, daring them to cross into their city. The angry Irish and Franco-Americans, defending their city,  were enough to prevent the Klan from attempting to cross the bridges, and they turned in retreat. 

There were heroes on both sides of the river, on that day, men and women who believed that there was no place in America for racial, religious, and ethnic hate. Because of the actions of such individuals, in Biddeford and Saco, the Klan lost its appeal, membership declined, and the organization disappeared from our communities.

After this incident, there seemed to be a change in the culture of the cities of Biddeford and Saco, and its citizens, with more understanding and cooperation noted amongst the various ethnic groups and community. We have come a long way in 100 years, but there is still more work to be done.