Few Americans know what happened 75 years ago today in the small town of Peekskill, NY. The KKK and anti-communists teamed up to try to silence a folk concert fundraiser for the Civil Rights movement.
It marked a significant turning point in the post-World War II era, raised the stakes in the coming anti-communist Red Scare, and showed how the destructive power of hatred can gain legitimacy in a time of political turmoil.