During the 1920s Maine had the largest membership in the Ku Klux Klan of any state outside of the South. The Klan is credited with electing local and statewide officials, including a governor. At its peak, 23% of Maine's population were members of the Klan. What was the appeal? On January 17, 2024, Raney Bench, executive director for the MDI Historical Society, presented a brief history of the Klan in Maine, including their presence on Mount Desert Island. This lecture was a public program through MDI Adult Education.