On August 28th, 1966 the Klu Klux Klan held what would be the first of four rallies in Stafford County. The goal of these rallies was to raise support and money for the Klan’s prejudice and hateful cause in Northern Virginia, with the Klan actively trying to get money and donations from attendees. The first rally was held across from Bethlehem Primitive Church, where Staffords NAACP began, and it drew a crowd of around 400. According to a newspaper report published after the rally, about a third of those attendees were not from Stafford. The Klan was assisted at this rally by the American Nazi Party, who as someone who attended this rally said, were dressed in SS uniforms. The contents of the rally are much of what someone would expect from a hate group. The Klan criticized the civil rights movement and supported white supremacy. The speakers also made light of the killing of African Americans, while trying to say they are a “Peaceful” organization. Their criticism of the world extended beyond Civil Rights and included things like Communism and Zionism. After the Klan speakers had finished their hate speech the rally ended and the Klan asked for donations, going as far as to get people to try and wait at the end of the street to catch people leaving.

The rally did not have the desired effect, with most people going out of morbid curiosity rather than truly believing the Klans’ message. Despite this, they tried again three more times. Their second rally seemingly went much the same way, with a crowd of around 400 attending, but after that, even curiosity couldn’t encourage people to go out, with the last two barely drawing a crowd of 50 people. While in other areas where rallies were held violent attacks occurred, Stafford seemed to be clear of the violence, with the only report to police being a noise complaint about the speakers.