Roy Elonzo Davis

==Ku Klux Klan==

In 1922, Davis returned to Georgia where he began to speak openly supporting the Ku Klux Klan. He held rallies and meetings to recruit members in Georgia, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and South Carolina.<ref>{{cite news|title=The K.K.K Lecture Held Last Night|publisher=The Hutchinson News|date=May 30, 1922}}</ref> Newspapers articles at the time reported Davis to be a "high Klan official". The newspapers also began recording and reporting on his speeches in which he explained the principles of the KKK to include "white supremacy" and "protection of pure womanhood". Davis bragged about his recruitment efforts and the reach of the KKK, stating that he had been involved in recruitment across the southern and midwestern United States. He reported 92,000 KKK members in Oklahoma and Texas. Davis also boasted that governors, [[congressmen]], and [[United States Senator]]s had joined the KKK in recent years. Davis was quoted as saying "whether you approve or disapprove, the Klan is here to stay so you better watch your step."<ref>{{cite news|title=Ku Klux Klan Lecture|publisher=The Osceola Times|date=July 14, 1922}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Popular Bluff Has Organized Klan|publisher=Jonesboro Daily Tribune|date=July 22, 1922}}</ref>

The early 1920s were a high point for the [[Ku Klux Klan#Second Klan|second KKK]] organization. Klan recruitment was a lucrative enterprise. Recruiters got to keep a larger percentage of the membership dues paid by members. Davis was particularly effective at recruiting. During the period he traveled and held multiple rallies with Imperial Wizard William Simmons.<ref name = "nsj">{{cite news|title=Denied Use of Auditorium|publisher=Nebraska State Journal|date=January 12, 1923}}</ref> Davis faced legal trouble again in September 1922 when complaints were filed against him in connection to a burglary case in [[Waco, Texas]]. He was accused of stealing firearms from the [[United States Marshall]]s.<ref>{{cite news|title=Two Burglary Complaints Are Filed in Case of Lon Davis|newspaper=Waco News Tribune|date=September 15, 1922}}</ref> Davis was also named in connection to a 1923 criminal investigation in Louisiana.<ref name = "nsj"/>

The KKK started a newspaper in 1923 titled ''The Brick Bat'' and Davis was named editor. The paper was published weekly and sold subscriptions to KKK members. The paper focused on what Davis described as "true Americanism" and exposition "of the principles of Ku Klux Klan".<ref>{{cite news|title=Exponents of Principles of Klan Starts Paper|publisher=The Fourth Estate|date=February 17, 1923}}</ref> The paper was a lightning rod and stirred tensions. Their articles publicly degraded and attacked KKK opponents, calling for boycotts of unsupportive businesses. In May 1923, Davis instigated physical violence when two business owners he targeted in his publication were involved in an altercation with KKK members.<ref>{{cite news|title=Freed After Alleged Attack on Reported Klan Leader|publisher=The Town Talk|date=May 28, 1923}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Alleged Assailants of Klansmen Freed|publisher=Columbus Enquirer Sun|date=May 29, 1923}}</ref> Despite the violence, Davis continued to publish his attacks against Klan opponents. One of ''The Brick Bat'''s targets filed charges against Davis and he was subsequently arrested in Georgia and charged with criminal libel on June 24, 1923. Davis paid bond and returned to Klan recruiting the same day.<ref>{{cite news|title=Criminal Libel Charge to Face Brickbat Editor|publisher=The Atlanta Constitution|date=June 25, 1923}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Editor of Brick Bat Is Accused Of Libel|publisher=Macon Daily Telegraph|date=June 27, 1923}}</ref>

Somehow Davis had managed to keep his dual identities secret from many people. He had been employed as president of Georgia Farmer's Union until July 1923 when his fellow board members discovered his activities and had him investigated. They discovered he had abandoned his wife and children in Texas, had been involved in criminal activities across the United States, had remarried illegally, been dismissed as a minister from multiple churches, and was involved in the KKK. They board of the Georgia Farmers Union called a special meeting to show the results of their investigation and publicly expose Davis, but Davis failed to appear and returned to Texas.<ref>{{cite news|title=Farm Union Head Ousted By Board|publisher=The Houston Post|date=July 1, 1923}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Anti-Catholic Editor Removed From Office|publisher=The Bulletin of the Catholic Laymens Association of Georiga|date=July 14, 1923}}</ref> Upon being exposed, Davis and one of his brothers were subsequently caught by vigilantes in Texas and beat with wet rope. Davis's brother was hospitalized with severe injuries.<ref>{{cite news|title=Flog Lon Davis|publisher=Macon Daily Telegraph|date=August 18, 1923}}</ref>

About the same time, [[Hiram W. Evans]] ousted William Simmons as Imperial Wizard of the KKK and took over leadership of the organization. Evans expelled Davis from the KKK and may have been behind his outing to the Georgia Farm Board and his beating in Texas.<ref>{{cite news|date=June 7, 1923|publisher=Bartow Tribune|author=<!--Not stated-->|page=1}}</ref> By 1924, Davis and Simmons regrouped and began an effort to form a new klan organization, Knights of the Flaming Sword, where Simmons resumed his role as Imperial Wizard. Davis, as a high ranking Klan leader, played a key role in encouraging members to abandoned Evans and remain loyal to Simmons in their new order.<ref>{{cite news|title=Klan Is Tottering|date=February 29, 1924|publisher=Tipton Daily Tribune}}</ref> Traveling across the south, Davis successfully retained the loyalty of at least 60,000 Klan recruits and had secured over $150,000 ($2.3 million in 2021 dollars)<ref>{{cite news|title=Klan Is Renounced By 4,000 at Chattanooga|publisher=The Tennessean|date=October 4, 1924}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Simmons Order Growing Rapidly|publisher=Arkansas Gazette|date=October 6, 1924}}</ref> Davis's efforts during this period earned him the accolades of Simmons who appointed Davis as "Royal Ambassador" in honor of his activities.<ref name="fsta"/><ref name = rpd>{{cite news|title=Proclamation issued by the Royal Ambassador|publisher=Chattanooga Daily Times|date=January 19, 1925|author=Davis, Roy E|page=1|url=https://william-branham.org/site/research/topics/knights_of_the_flaming_sword#_b2db330d-752b-4383-9ce6-698fa62feccf_ftn14}}</ref>