Cross-burnings by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) were intended to strike fear into the hearts of black people. The KKK stood for the separation of races and the idea that people of color are inferior to whites. Today, the image of a burning cross, continues to symbolize hate.

Interview with Pat Sumi

Interview by Ryan Masaaki Yokota
Bio for Pat Sumi

I went South... in '66 and '67. I worked for a Head Start agency in Mississippi and Atlanta, and I had the opportunity to attend many demonstrations, go to many church services, walk the streets and do voter registration. I learned the courage of even the youngest of the black community who were willing to face the Klan.

In just a few months, I learned a little bit about what racism really means. It is not a matter of a few people having prejudiced ideas. It is not a matter of stereotypes. It really was something that was deeply rooted in our society.

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