7-Year-Old’s KKK Costume Sparks Controversy [Video]

A 7-year-old’s KKK costume has sparked a nationwide controversy. The Craigsville, Virginia, boy chose the costume himself, citing a scene from the film Fried Green Tomatoes. His mother, Jessica Black, is defending her son’s costume as a “family tradition.”

Black said she warned Jackson that his costume choice might be controversial. She told her son that a lot of people would be upset and “say bad things” about him. Despite her warnings, the child thought the costume would “look cool.”.

At her son’s request, Black made the 7-year-old’s KKK costume herself. When she took him trick-or-treating, the neighbors were stunned. As reported by WTVR News, neighbor Wendy Sprouse blames Black for allowing her son to wear the offensive costume:

“I just think it’s really sad like that a kid is being taught that, that young because they don’t know any better… You don’t hear that much about it nowadays.”

Black said her son’s costume has historical meaning for her family. She also said she supports the KKK’s ideals:

“It’s supposed to be white with white. Black with black. Man with woman and all of that. That’s what the KKK stands for… The KKK every year raises money to donate to the St. Jude’s.”

The white supremacist group remains active in the state of Virginia, with at least eight known chapters. As reported by New York Daily News, the three states with the most active Ku Klux Klan chapters are Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas. Texas tops the list with more than 26 current and active chapters.

As reported by History.com, the first KKK group formed in 1866 in Tennessee. By the early 1900s, the organization was estimated to have up to 10,000 active members — primarily in the southern US. The Ku Klux Klan is infamous for their violence and bigotry against blacks.

The 7-year-old’s KKK costume is a grim reminder that racism is an ongoing issue. Unfortunately, his mother does not see anything wrong with the extremist organization.

[Image via Flickr]