LA GRANDE – The Ku Klux Klan may still exist in some small Oregon towns, historian Eckard Toy said July 6 as part of the Oregon Council for the Humanities Chatauqua lecture series at the La Grande Public Library.

Toy has finished a three-year stint with the lecture series.

He said the KKK wielded considerable political power in Oregon, at one time.

Toy started his research on the Klan when he was studying for his master’s degree at the University of Oregon. While questioning people in Tillamook, he said he noticed many were reluctant to remember their relatives had been part of the group.

This wasn’t true when the Klan got its start in Medford in 1921. Before the end of the year, the Klan had started groups in Portland, Astoria, Salem and Pendleton. The backing of the Klan was quickly becoming an important political issue.

Walter M. Pierce of La Grande won the Oregon governor’s race in 1922 with the strong backing of the Klan. He defeated the incumbent governor, Ben Olcott, who had denounced the group.

Although people still contest this, Toy said records of the La Grande Ku Klux Klan identified Pierce as a member. The Eastern Oregon University library is named after Pierce.

The Klan has appeared in many forms during its history, Toy said. It has been used to focus hatred against Chinese, Catholics and Jews as well as blacks.

The Klan flourished in Canada and in the northern states of the United States.

He read from Klan records listing county commissioners, judges, store owners and educators to illustrate his point.

Toy taught at universities in Washington, Oregon, Illinois and Wisconsin before his retirement.