Indy Standard

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) recently commemorated the 100th anniversary of a historic confrontation known as Notre Dame vs. the KKK. This event, which took place from May 17-19, 1924, saw students from the University of Notre Dame standing up against the Ku Klux Klan's attempt to intimidate Catholics in South Bend.

"It was one hundred years ago this week – in an act of defiance against religious intolerance – that the Fighting Irish truly came into being. On this day, we remember their bravery in exercising their most basic of American freedoms as we celebrate the day they put the ‘fight’ in the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish,” said Senator Young.

The senator detailed how on May 17, 1924, thousands of members from the Indiana Chapter of the Ku Klux Klan gathered for a rally led by D.C. Stephenson. Their target was the Catholic institution of the University of Notre Dame and its community.

In those years preceding this event, Coach Knute Rockne and his football team had been gaining national recognition for their fighting spirit and success on and off the field. This was seen as a direct affront to the KKK's message of superiority.

The KKK had planned a three-day rally outside Notre Dame's Golden Dome with parades, speeches, dances and overtly violent intimidation tactics. However, they did not anticipate that the predominantly Irish Catholic student body would refuse to be intimidated.

Despite attempts by university president Father Matthew Walsh to ensure student safety by advising them to stay within school grounds, students stood up against their intimidators.

As per historical accounts, when a KKK leader threatened a student who intended to pull down an unsacred cross of lights hung in downtown South Bend, violence broke out. The students defended themselves effectively enough to drive out most Klansmen from town.

The incident gained national attention and solidified Notre Dame's nickname as "the Fighting Irish". For those interested in more details about this historic weekend, Senator Young recommended Todd Tucker's acclaimed book, Notre Dame vs. The Klan.

Senator Young noted that such events often serve as historical inflection points. In 1924, intolerance and hatred were on the rise across the country. However, this incident marked a turning point for Indiana and the nation.

Later that year, Notre Dame's football team achieved a perfect 10-0 season and won the 1924 national championship. The following year saw the downfall of the Indiana Chapter of the KKK after its leader, D.C. Stephenson, was convicted of rape and murder.

The University of Notre Dame officially adopted the nickname "The Fighting Irish" three years later in 1927. Senator Young concluded his remarks by once again commemorating the bravery of those students who stood up against religious intolerance a century ago.