The Ku Klux Klan is undoubtedly the most infamous hate group in the United States, and it has been the focus of a great deal of debate in recent months due to the current political climate. A&E has a project in the works that will examine what it means to be a member of the Klan today, why members stay in the Klan, and why some choose to leave. Generation KKK premieres in early 2017 on A&E.
Generation KKK will be an eight-episode docu-series, with each episode running for one hour. The series has gained access to current members of the KKK, former members, and folks who tirelessly work to bring an end to the group's messages of hate. Episodes will follow four families involved with the Klan with different ranks.
One family will feature an "Imperial Wizard" who is proud of his place in the KKK and intends to raise his teenage daughter to one day take his place. Another family consists of a war veteran member who already has plans to raise his 4-year old to embrace the Klan when he grows up. A third family will be comprised of a man who considers his close friend and Klan bigwig to be a surrogate father. He must choose whether or not to swear his allegiance to the Klan. The final family will be one that has been involved with the KKK for a whopping five generations, but that is nevertheless having a difficult time maintaining their loyalty to the Klan nowadays.
The docu-series will also go in-depth on the efforts of people outside of the Klan. Episodes will put the spotlight on anti-hate activists who work to convince members of the KKK to quit the group. Two former members who actively work as activists will provide their points of view. One is a ex-skinhead who left the KKK after joining when he was only 16 years old, and the other is a former Neo-Nazi who left the KKK after sixteen years because he figured out that growing up in the KKK was not good for his child.
The members of the activist groups take a hands-on approach to form relationships with families associated with the KKK. The docu-series will showcase the legacy of families and children who are born into an environment of hate. The angle is one that hasn't been thoroughly covered on the small screen in the past, and Generation KKK could be a fascinating watch.
Generation KKK kicks off on Tuesday, January 10 at 10 p.m. ET on A&E. The network has covered some controversial subjects lately, so hopefully the KKK docu-series won't shy away from telling the truth - no matter how ugly - about the group. Take a look at our midseason premiere schedule to see what else you'll be able to catch on TV in the new year. There's plenty of good stuff on the way that should be worth watching in the not-too-distant future.
