Sunday, May 10, 2020

Behind what happened to the Ku Klux Klan bookstore in Metairie, Louisiana.

Patriot Bookstore was a Ku Klux Klan ran bookstore that was founded by David Duke, Davy Quinn, and Ray Booker in 1968 in Metairie, Louisiana. Patriot Bookstore operated for many years. Racist literature was sold in this bookstore. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=X2WD3EnAVvEC&pg=PA105&lpg=PA105)

Patriot Bookstore also operated under the name Patriot Press too. Patriot Press was the mail order part of the Patriot Bookstore business. Patriot Press also put out a puts out a variety of racist brochures, Klan paraphernalia, small publications. Basically Patriot Press served as a mail-order business for Patriot Bookstore. The PO Box for Patriot Press was Box 624 Metairie, LA 70004. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/221983710/)

The Galveston Daily News described David Duke of having ran his Patriot Bookstore in a deteriorating working-class neighborhood in Metairie while his house was just 4 blocks away. He employed a small staff of "true believers" and payed them minimum wage. They ran the store and handled the mail-order trade in Klan paraphernalia. The house doubled as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan "national headquarters."
(Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/16785260/?source=browse)

Interesting enough, Florida Today reported that many of Duke’s members did not read or they were illiterate. Another of his former associates, James K Warner of Baton Rouge, who has had a sharp split with him, says, "David runs a bookstore, but many of his members don't read” (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/124967022/)


His bookstore was covered in Klan attire, Nazi propaganda, and Klan paraphernalia. On the front windows of his bookstore were 2 fiery cross flags in red and white. Flags could be seen all inside of this bookstore. Mostly Klan flags.
 
Sitting in front of a huge Klan flag, a black cross on a white circle in a red field, hung behind heavy gauge mesh covering the windows in his bookstore office. Duke said his organization was dedicated to fighting for the civil rights of white citizens, through educational programs, public appearances on television shows, debates with black leaders and legal action. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/16785260/?source=browse)


Patriot Bookstore sent their hate malign to places as far as Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. One example is in 1978, a professor and a student at the University of Manitoba had received hate literature from Patriot Bookstore in the mail via letter. (Ref: https://newspaperarchive.com/browse/ca/mb/winnipeg/winnipeg-free-press/1978/jun-29-p-3/)

Patriot Bookstore was dissolved by the Louisiana Secretary of State for inactive action and for failure to file annual report among other issues. A myriad of legal issues are what caused David Duke to shut down his bookstore. (Ref: https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_la/04508530N)

The store later served as a hair salon in 1998. Today Patriot Bookstore is now home to a deli called Zummos.

Patriot Bookstore was located at 3410 Johnson Street, Metairie, Louisiana, US 70001. Their PO Box was Box 1, Metairie, LA 70004.




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