Black Klansman Summary
Ron Stallworth

Black Klansman Overview

Ron Stallworth's memoir, Black Klansman, describes Stallworth's investigation into the presence of the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado in the 1970s, while Stallworth was a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department. Stallworth, a black man, ran an undercover police investigation to gather intelligence about a local Chapter of the Ku Klux Klan; during the investigation another white officer posed as 'Ron Stallworth' to meet with and eventually join the Ku Klux Klan. Through the description of this improbable investigation, Stallworth analyzes racial dynamics, white supremacy, power, and the role of law enforcement in the United States in the decade following the Civil Rights movement.