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UNITE

STATES DEPARTMENT OF & jTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

In Reply, Please Refer co

File No.

Tampa, Florida, 33609

November 8, 1963

VISIT OF PRESIDENT

JOHN F. KENNEDY TO TAMPA, FLORIDA

NOVEMBER, 1963

On November 5, 1963, TP T-I, a Cuban exile

who has furnished reliable information in the past,

and who is familiar with activities of anti-CASTRO

organizations 'in the

advised that

weekly on Thursday evenings, have continued to discuss

some sort of activity planned for President KENNEDY'S

visit to Tampa.

Some of the individuals favor making

up placards stating what KENNEDY has said at various

Cuban functions, and using them in the form of a

picket.

Other persons do not lavor the picket type

demonstration.

Plans are not definite yet as to what

the

anti-CASTRO groups will do upon the President's

arrival.

On October 21, 1963, TP T-2, who has furnished '

reliable information in the past, advised that there

was a meeting of State Officers and E.C.s of the United

Florida Ku Kiux Klan held at Orlando, Florida, on Sunday

October 13, 1963.

There were about 125 to 135 persons

in attendance when the meeting got underway, and during

the meeting CURTIS BENEFIELD talked of a plan to make

some signs

and picket the Armory at Tampa on November 17

or 18, 1963,

when President KENNEDY appears for a

din-

ner and to make a speech there.

The plan is being

devised to show KENNEDY that he is not as well thought

of in Florida as he thinks he is. BENEFIELD talked

of getting about 500 Cubans to march in one group,

with Klansmen,

'State's Righters, White Citizens' Coun-

cil members, and

together.

It was

suggested that those who participate

leave their

Klan membership cards at home,

so that

if they happen to be arrested, the cards will not be

found on, them.

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VISIT OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY

TO TAMPA, FLORIDA, November, 1963

JIMMY HARRISON gave a talk concerning the

White Citizens', Council at Bradenton, apparently to

advise the Klansmen how active the group 1s. He said

that

sone of the members of this group would undoubt

edly be glad to help in picketing the President, and

they would leave their membership

cards at home.

HARRISON announced the date of the next meeting of

the Citizens' Council at Bradenton,

sane to be held

at the Women's Club Building at which the editor of

the Augusta,

Georgia "Courier", believed to be named

HARRIS,, will be the principal speaker.

All Klansmen

are invited to attend, with tickets being priced at

$1.00 each.

A characterization of the

United Florida Ku Klux Klan

appears in the appendix at-

tached hereto.

Sources who furnished information set forth

in this characterization have furnished reliable

information in the past.

On October 16, 1963, TP 1-3, who has fur-

nished reliable intormation in the past, advised that

a regular meeting of the Forrest Club, United Florida

Highway 33, Lakeland, Florida,

During this meeting o.

units to send men over to Tampa when the President

visits Tampa in November.

No members are to carry

identification of the Klan,

and are to peacefully

picket in the area outside the President's meeting

place,

carrying signs protesting KENNEDY's stand on

integration.

On October 16, 1963, TP T-4, contact with

whom has been insufficient to establish reliability,

advised that a regular meeting of the Forrest Club,

United Florida Ku Klux Klan, had been held in the

pasture of H. W. GRIMES, Highway 33, in Lakeland,

2

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VISIT OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY

TO TAMPA, FLORIDA, November, 1963

Florida,

on October 14, 1963 at 8:00 P.M. According

to TP I-4, O. V. BOATWRIGHT,

Klan Klaliff, stated

that the klan is supposed to go to Tampa when the

President speaks in Tampa in November, 1963, and

peacelully picket outside the building where the

President speaks.

They are to carry signs protes-

ting KENNEDY's stand on integration:

All Klan mem

'bers are instructed

not to carry Klan identification

cards.

On October 22, 1963, TP T-5, who has

furnished reliable information in the past, advised

that there was a regular Klan meeting of the Fellow-

ship Club, United Florida Ku Klux Klan on October 19,

1963, at 8:15 P.M. at their Klavern near Plant City,

Florida.

Dragon,

made a

According to a Te stats Officers meeting

report on the

the President when

he gets to Tampa for

ä speech.

There were ten men present, who said they would belp

on the 18th of November, 1963.

This document contains neither recommenda-

tions nor conclusions of the FBI.

"It is the property

of the FBI and is

i loaned to your

agency; it and 1ts

contents are not to be distributed outside your

agency.

....:.

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DocId: 32283799

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SPPENDIX

UNITED FLORIDA KU KLUX KLAN JACKSONVILLE (UFKKK)

A source advised on August 20, 1955, that a new

organization known as Florida Ku Klux Klan (FKKK) had

beer formed at Macclenny, Florida, on August 14, 1955,

be formor members of the Association of Florida Ku

BLUS BIAN (AFKKK).

The objectives of this group, according to

> second

source, are to oppose integration in the schools

fight communism.

Regarding AFKKK, a third source advised that

Lorner dificial of the Association oi Georgia Alans

(ACK) formed

an organization on July 7, 1953, known as

"Morning Tribune", Tampa, Florida, newspaper,

in its August 11, 1955, issue

revealed AFKKK disbanded

on that date.

A fourth source advised on October 25, 1956,

that AKKK operated under the same principles and

bylaus as the AGK. The AGK has been designated by the

Attorney General

pursuant to Executive Order 10450.

¡ fifth source advised on February 17, 1958,

that the FKKX was operating and maintaining the

objoctives as set forth above.

that at a meeting held in Orlando, Florida, on June

The sixth source advised on June 28, 1961135,

vel, the FKKK and the United Klans, Knights of the Ku

KLUX

Flan, Inc., in Florida, consolidated, and the new

organiestion 1s

known as the UFKKK.

On bay l?, 1962, the sixth source advised that

the

UraKy is still in existence in Florida and maintains

the same objectives set forth above.

4

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