John Burchill , Speaker
Author and criminal justice historian who teaches at Kansas Wesleyan University
Four Horsemen and a Sage
Presentation by: John Burchill
Fighting the rising tide of nativist sentiment in the early 20th century, a few Kansas leaders took a stand. In 1938, a rabbi, two priests, and a minister who drove across Kansas to challenge a senatorial candidate who supported anti-Semitic and Nazi beliefs. The group was dubbed "The Four Horseman of Tolerance," and they traveled from town to town explaining "that this kind of hate had no place in America." A decade earlier, William Allen White, nicknamed the Sage of Emporia for his role as editor of the Emporia Gazette, held a similar concern with the growth of the Ku Klux Klan and launched a bid to become Governor to end its influence. This presentation explores the stories of Kansans who worked to stop forces of intolerance in our state.
Contact John directly about speaking at your event:
785/833-4361
jkburchill@gmail.com