Membership card for the Ku Klux Klan for Axel Javert: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A Ku Klux Klan membership card owned by Axel Javert. The paper card is printed in black, gold, green and red ink. The top of the card has “K-UNO K-DUO / KNIGHTS OF THE KU KLUX KLAN.” A red black and green insignia is at top center. The insignia has the words “Duty” and “Honor” incorporated in it. Text stating that Axel Javert is a member of the Ku Klux Klan appears below the insignia. The bottom is signed and dated by Axel Javert and H. Alanson Ayres. The back of the card has spaces to enter the owner’s signature and address.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1926
• Distributed by: Ku Klux Klan, 2nd, American, 1915 - 1944
• Owned by: Axel Javert, American, 1900 - 1980
• Signed by: H. Alanson Ayres, American
• Signed by: Axel Javert, American, 1900 - 1980
• Type: membership cards
• Medium: ink on paper, plastic
• Dimensions: H x W: 2 5/16 × 3 9/16 in. (5.9 × 9.1 cm)
• Place used: New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Associations and institutions
• Topic: Fraternal organizations
• Topic: U.S. History, 1919-1933
• Topic: White supremacy movements
• Object number: 2013.231.15
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Anonymous Gift
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.