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Documentary | History

 SCOTLAND     

 AND THE      

   KLAN      

Producer | director

 

Winner RTS Scotland

Best History Documentary Award May 2017

Nominated for BAFTA Scotland
Specialist Factual Award November 
2017

 

Nominated for best history programme award at the Celtic Media Festival May 2017

 

Scotland and the Klan

1 x 60' with Matchlight for BBC

First TX BBC Scotland 4th October 2016

Also BBC4, History Channel and others

 

 

Presented by NEIL OLIVER

Camera ALAN McLAUGHLIN

Sound GARY BLACK

Assistant prod / additional camera

 STEVIE WHITEFORD

Exec producer ROSS WILSON

Editor CHRIS BUCKLAND

Written, directed and produced by IAN LILLEY

Producer | Director

 

The role of Scots in shaping the concept of the American Dream is a story often celebrated but could Scottish settlers have also had a hand in America’s racist nightmare?

Neil Oliver travels over two thousand miles to examine links between racism today and the Scottish settlers that first occupied America's Deep South.

Throughout the 18th Century, hundreds of thousands of Scots emigrated to America. Some believe that it was their wariness and moral certainty that significantly shaped the South into an isolated, fearful society that easily took to slave-owning when the opportunity came. 

After the devastating Civil War, attitudes in the South were hardened by defeat and fear of the newly-freed slaves. When six bored and bitter former Confederate officers formed a fraternal society, they drew on their Scottish background. 'Clan' turned to 'Klan' and the oldest and most feared racist hate group in America – the Ku Klux Klan – was born. 

Now, well over 800 hate groups stalk the United States and Neil finishes his journey by visiting the Neo-Confederate League of the South. The League advocates a return to a separate Southern society run by what they call ‘Anglo Celts’ and Neil discovers that here in the Deep South, Scottish-ness and some old attitudes still abide.  

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