UNMASKING THE KLANSMAN: THE DOUBLE LIFE OF ASA AND FORREST CARTER is one of the most bizarre stories in the history of American publishing. The mystery has finally been solved - fifty years after the master hoax began. The Education of Little Tree is a number one best seller, required reading in schoolrooms across the country, and is still in print today, a half-century after release.
The Outlaw Josey Wales is likewise still available, decades after the blockbuster movie starring Clint Eastwood. The amazing truth is that both were written by a notorious white supremacist, Klansman, creator of the White Citizens Council, and speech writer for George Wallace who penned the words, “…..segregation today, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever.” His name was Asa Carter, who was the mastermind behind the attack on Nat King Cole and many other extremely violent actions against minorities.
It is impossible to believe, even without the internet, such an infamous person could change identities and claim to be an orphaned Cherokee Indian and not be exposed. The FBI had a large file on this terrorist, as did authorities in many jurisdictions – and yet he was able to pull off this fraud, calling himself Forrest Carter. Carter, his family and associates were accosted by the media on frequent occasions and their denials held up.
And then historian Dan T. Carter (no relation) uncovered the deceit while writing his classic biography of George Wallace and exposed the con in the New York Times. The difficulties in finding the full details caused him to abandon the search for decades, until discovering hundreds of interviews in 2018, and now we have Unmasking the Klansman.
THIS COPY (shown below) was hand signed on the title page by Dan T. Carter at the store. It is a new, unread first edition opened only for signing and comes with a certificate authenticating the signature. Published in April, 2023 by New South Books, an imprint of the University of Georgia Press.
DAN T. CARTER (pictured below from our Wall of Fame) is a distinguished historian and the author of seven books. Thank you Dan T. Carter for signing our books.
THE AUDIO BELOW was produced by Radio Dairies in 2012. The music that ends this piece is by banjo player Adam Hurt. Also featured in the story: Tennessee, by interviewee Ron Taylor, with lyrics by Asa Carter. Special thanks to Douglas Newman, Laura Browder, Marco Ricci, and Michael Fix, who produced the film documentary, The Reconstruction of Asa Carter.
