Replacing a Dark Record

When I received the photo as part of my research, I couldn’t believe what I was looking at—an old black and white photo of a crowd of guys standing proudly in infamous KKK gear. This was no movie set (think Brother Where Art Thou). This was dark reality. It still baffles my brain that human beings can be filled with such blind hatred for their fellow man. How, I mean really . . . HOW? How did this group evolve? Thrive? Get away with literal murder for so long?

Nearly 100 years ago in June 1924, thousands of KKK members in white pointed hats crowded into a small town in central Iowa, the largest gathering ever noted in that area. A new group is attempting to beat that evil record, to replace the Ku Klux Klan’s record of hate with one of love. Rob Roozeboom writes all about it in his book, Broken Still Chosen, (available June 2024). He invites everyone to help him beat the KKK’s terrible record by attending RiseFest, a live outdoor Christian music festival in Sheldon, Iowa, June 7-8, 2024. The original gathering in June 1924 allegedly hosted 25,000 Klan members. Rob wants to see at least 25,001 festivalgoers in Sheldon next June to replace the KKK’s dark record. As Rob explains in his book, the KKK boasted about all they were against—blacks, Jews, Catholics, foreigners, bootleggers, anyone who used birth control, and more. It seems they were against more people than they were for.

RiseFest is for all people. It’s about worshiping God together as a community. Rob says in Broken Still Chosen, “It became my goal to blot out this dark spot in the history books by replacing the KKK’s record with a far more worthy gathering.”

My son-in-law Courtney is one of the most beautiful human beings I know. He is black, dark and gorgeous, years of dreadlocks streaming down his back. He creates beautiful music (check out @akilbeatsdenver/intrinsic on Spotify! https://akilbeatsdenver.com/) and he treats my daughter like a queen. It fills me with rage to imagine him being held captive, treated inhumanely as a slave. And one of my most delightful clients is a Jewish gentleman who pours into the art and theatre community at the age of 80 after a successful career of promoting higher education for the masses. My brother Bob is my mentor in life and a devout Catholic. How could a stupid group of racist Americans think they were so superior to these amazing men that they had the right to tar and feather, even hang and burn them? I still can’t wrap my brain around such unfounded, outrageous arrogance.

What I can do is help beat the KKK record for the largest gathering in central Iowa. Yes, that I can do. And I will shout out loud and clear for all racists to hear: I join this loving group of people in celebrating all we are FOR! For ALL people, for worshiping a loving God together no matter our differences. So, yes, I’ll be at RiseFest in Sheldon, Iowa, next summer, almost 100 years to the day of the Klan festival. I hope you’ll consider joining me. You might just be that one to push us over 25,000. Let’s set a worthy record together.

Details at https://www.riseministries.com/risefest/

@RiseFest @riseministries @robroozeboom @brokenstillchosen @ChosenBooks @Bakerpublishinggroup @Groomdevelopment @kathygroom @kathleenhauckgroom