When is the klan rally in memphis

The day of events, called Heart of Memphis, was organized by more than 30 local organizations and the city to coincide with the Klan rally scheduled to take place on the steps of the federal courthouse building in Memphis on the same day. Memphis United, a new coalition of local community organizations, activists, concerned citizens and people of faith, says this event provides a positive and constructive alternative to the Klan rally and to traditional counter-protest.

Heart of Memphis will feature live music, dance, food, art and discussion. There will also be activities for children, including an Easter egg roll with Mayor A.

Wharton Jr. His defenders, mostly white, cite Forrest's accomplishments as an alderman, businessman and military leader. Critics, black and white, say honoring Forrest glorifies a slave trader and Ku Klux Klan member. Katherine Blaylock, a Memphis resident who opposes the name changes, defended Forrest and accused the council of trying to rewrite history.

We do what we can to come together and be a community, but the antagonists that keep bringing it out on both sides are the bad apples. Forrest lived in Memphis before the Civil War, working as a cotton farmer and slave trader. Though lacking traditional military training, he rose to lieutenant general in the Confederate Army. He became legendary for fast horseback raids that disrupted the enemy's supply lines and communications.

Forrest also led the siege against Union-held Fort Pillow in With the clear advantage, Forrest ordered Union Maj. William Bradford and his troops to surrender. Forrest's men then stormed the fort and killed about soldiers, half of them black. They also took black and white prisoners. Questions linger whether the Union soldiers at Fort Pillow were killed as they tried to surrender.

Northern newspaper reports referred to the battle as an atrocity, but some historians say the deaths were a consequence of battle. Forrest later became a member of the Klan, which intimidated and threatened Southern blacks.

His level of involvement in the Klan is a source of argument, and he is believed to have helped disband the first incarnation of the Klan in Supporters praise him for offering to free 45 of his own slaves if they would serve in the Confederacy.

Council members voted to ban the wearing of masks "for the purpose of civil rights intimidation" and the same proposal would require groups from outside Memphis to cover the cost of providing additional police security at public assemblies. The vote was prompted by the looming KKK rally, although it remains to be seen if Memphis's mayor AC Wharton will sign the proposal before the rally.

A member of his office told the Guardian the mayor was away on Wednesday, and she could not immediately confirm whether he will give the changes the go-ahead. This article is more than 8 years old. Topics Tennessee Race Memphis news. Reuse this content. Renaming the parks would be a victory for racial equality nationwide, say local activists. In response to the park renamings, the Ku Klux Klan has applied for a permit to hold a protest in Memphis on March Memphis police are considering special guidelines for the rally, including prohibiting concealed weapons and not allowing participants to wear masks, according to The Commercial Appeal.

Director of Memphis Police Toney Armstrong says he is anticipating high numbers of counter-protesters as well as Klansmen at the event. This is part of an ongoing conflict that includes the Memphis City Council, the local community, and the state.