The information posted, while by no means the whole picture, was largely true.
The Knights do have a very nominal amount of secrecy (I’m 4th degree) along the lines of what was customary for many U.S. men’s fraternal organizations of the era. While the KKK is a red-flag, the Mason’s would be a better analog.
The KKK thing was false propaganda. The Knights sued for libel and the KKK retracted it.
Are you currently active? My husband is the current Past Grand Knight and I am an active Lady Knight. There is no more secrecy in the Knights.
Yes, I wasn’t trying to characterize the KofC in general, merely explain why it was secretive. The Klan (and yes, other branches of free-masonry) was very active throughout America, not just the Deep South, and their target was largely Catholics, not even principally blacks (until Birth of a Nation). I’ve been researching the Klan in the Southwest professionally, and frankly astounded how the KofC wasn’t just adopting mere ritual, but often wound up using martial force to defend their co-religionists.