Robert Shelton
Robert “Bobby" Marvin Shelton (12 June 1929 – 17 March 2003) was a B.F. Goodrich executive and the former Imperial Wizard of the United Klans of America.
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Life
Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1929, Shelton, the son of a member of the KKK, was a 1946 graduate of Holt High School and attended one year of college at the University of Alabama. He later served in the United States Air Force as a pilot, spending some of his service time in Germany.[2] After his service with the Air Force he returned to Tuscaloosa, got married and began his career with the tire company B.F. Goodrich. He had an important sales position with Goodrich, but was later fired for his Klan activities.
Klan activities
In the 1950s Shelton was the Grand Dragon of the state of Alabama for the U.S. Klans, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. After being ousted by U.S. Klans leader Eldon Edwards, Shelton organized the Alabama Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in the spring of 1960. On 8 July 1961, Shelton merged his Alabama Knights with the United Klans of America which was formerly known as Invisible Empire, United Klans, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan of America and became the new Imperial Wizard.
In 1966, he was sentenced to one year in prison and a fined $1,000 for contempt of Congress in falling to turn over the Klan’s membership list to the House Un-American Activities Committee. He served nine months of the one year sentence at the low-security Federal Correctional Institution in Texarkana in Bowie County, Texas, and was released the day after Thanksgiving 1969. After declining to turn over records to the feds, Shelton, by all accounts, toughed out his sentence and made good on his widely-publicized promise to run the United Klans of America from prison. He was reportedly released early on good behavior.
Jewish question
Shelton saw Jewish financiers as causing the First World War and the Great Depression, however he showed ambivalence toward Jews as individuals and their religion. He claimed if they would convert to Christianity then they would be eligible for membership in his organization.[3] Later on he would declare, "I am against Jews not because they are Jews, but because they do not hold allegiance to this country."[4]
Death
Shelton, a Methodist, died in 2003 in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Honorary pallbearers at his funeral, among others, were members of the United Klans of America. He buried in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park.
Obituary
- He is preceded in death by his daughter, Nancy Jane Shelton, and parents, Hoyt and Carrie Shelton. Survivors include spouse, Betty Lou Shelton, daughter, Cindy S. Foster (Mrs. Dan), son, Robert M. Shelton, Jr. (Andrea), grandchildren, Amanda D. Foster, Jason B. Foster, Brittany E. Shelton, Heather A. Shelton and Travis C. Shelton. Robert M. Shelton, age 73, passed away this morning on March 17, 2003 at DCH Regional Medical Center. He was a long time resident of Tuscaloosa, born and raised in the Alberta City area. He was a graduate of Holt High School, attended the University of Alabama, and served in the U.S. Air Force as a pilot. He was influential and well known in the community as a leader and a friend. He was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will be greatly missed. Pallbearers will be Joel Medders, Gary Williamson, Tommy Smith, Jimmy Lord, Donald Hatem, Don Henson. Honorary pallbearers are Lake Sherwood Neighbors, Members of Chapel Hill Baptist Church, Burger King Coffee Buddies, Staff of UKA, Staff and physicians of Cardiac Acute Unit (DCH), Graduating Class of 1946 Holt High School.[5]
See also
External link
- Robert M. Shelton speech, 1967
- Robert Shelton, 73; Head of Klan Group
- Folktrove category page for Robert M. Shelton
