White Nationalist Group 'Knights Party' Uses Faith and Family Branding to Mask Klan Origins
Reporting from Al Jazeera and theGrio highlights how the Knights Party, formerly the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, is altering its public image. Despite framing its message around faith and family, leader Thomas Robb confirmed the group remains explicitly white nationalist and exclusionary toward Black Americans.
An Arkansas-based Ku Klux Klan organization is attempting to revamp its public image by promoting a message centered on faith and family while continuing to uphold core white nationalist beliefs, according to an investigation by Al Jazeera and reporting by theGrio. Operating under the name Knights Party, the group is working to attract new followers who may agree with its ideology but hesitate to publicly align with the Klan.
The organization, previously recognized as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, has been headed by Thomas Robb since 1989. Over the years, Robb has implemented changes to the group's public terminology, replacing historical Klan titles like grand wizard with national director. The group presents itself as a Christian entity focused on family structure and faith, according to the published reports.
Despite the modified terminology, Robb explicitly confirmed that the group maintains its white nationalist foundation. During an interview with Al Jazeera correspondent Phil Lavelle in Arkansas, Robb was asked whether a Black person would be permitted to attend the organization's church. Robb answered that they would not be welcomed, stating plainly that the institution is a white nationalist church, as reported by theGrio.
The group's exclusionary doctrine also influences its stance on national identity and American citizenship. In his conversation with Lavelle, Robb discussed public figures such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed. When Lavelle pointed out that El-Sayed was born in Michigan, Robb claimed that birth within the country does not qualify an individual as American. Conversely, Robb stated that children of white immigrants could be considered American solely because of their race.
Robb acknowledged to Al Jazeera that the rebranding effort is intended to reach potential members who might otherwise avoid formal affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan. However, the report noted that the group's exact membership numbers could not be independently verified. Reflecting on public perception, Robb remarked during the interview that the group might be wrong and that perhaps everybody hates them.
The Knights Party's outreach occurs within a wider national network of active extremist organizations. Southern Poverty Law Center data indicates that at least 152 white supremacist groups currently operate across the United States. Historically established following the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan built a legacy defined by racial terror and violent opposition to civil rights and integration targeting Black Americans.