Board of Works Bars Klan from Tomlinson Hall

From The Indianapolis Star, Thursday, March 16, 1922: Yesterday, the Indianapolis board of public works rescinded its earlier action allowing the Ku Klux Klan to use Tomlinson Hall for a public meeting Saturday evening. The board took this step on advice of Taylor Groninger, city corporation counsel, who declared such a meeting would be against public policy and possibly incite race and class feeling. The chief contention arose over a clause asserting “white supremacy” in the principles of the Klan. The corporation counsel pointed out this will cause racial feeling if the meeting is held. Mayor Shank said city officials had received more complaints about the Klan meeting than any other meeting so far. The mayor and president of the board of public works said they had no objection to having the meeting in a private hall in the city.

“Bars Klan from Tomlinson Hall,” The Indianapolis Star, 16 March 1922, p. 1:3