One hundred years ago, Biddeford stood at the crossroads of courage and hatred. In 1924, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Maine, fueled by the anti-immigrant sentiments of gubernatorial candidate Owen Brewster, cast a shadow over our state. In Biddeford, this was further aggravated when Saco Mayor John Smith granted the Klan a permit to parade on Labor Day, a political act that emboldened these forces of bigotry.

In this charged atmosphere, mill towns like Biddeford, with their concentrated populations of immigrants and Catholics, became focal points of resistance. Biddeford Mayor Edward Drapeau, recognizing the danger posed by the Klan’s ideology, refused to allow Biddeford to be swept into the tide of hatred. In an open letter to the press, Drapeau fiercely criticized Mayor Smith’s decision: “Unquestionably in Mayor Smith’s mind the citizens of Biddeford are uncouth and uncultivated because they have not banded together to make cowardly war upon those who differ in race or religion … For my own part, I wish to warn the Kluxers and their friends … I intend to use all resources at my command to prevent this lawless organization of the forces of bigotry and ignorance, which unfortunately exists … from inciting acts of violence in this city.”

Biddeford’s Irish, Franco and Jewish communities, who had faced their own struggles as immigrants, were determined not to let the Kluxers’ hateful agenda take root. These immigrants knew the challenges of oppression. The Irish, fleeing the devastating famine of the 19th century, arrived in Biddeford with little more than hope for a better life. The Franco Americans were driven by the promise of employment in the burgeoning mills, seeking to escape poverty and build a future for their families. Jewish Americans, escaping the pogroms and persecution in Eastern Europe, sought refuge from violence and anti-Semitism, arriving here with the dream of freedom and safety.

While we honor these immigrant communities, it is crucial to recognize the deeper irony: all non-Indigenous people in Maine live on unceded land that has long been home to the Wabanaki. While this land has served as a refuge for immigrants – past and present – we must also confront the historic and ongoing injustices faced by the Wabanaki. True freedom and safety can only be realized when we address the wrongs of the past and stand up for the rights of all.

This commitment to ensuring the safety of all was bravely demonstrated on Labor Day in 1924, when Biddeford’s police, firefighters and residents from all backgrounds united to block the Klan’s march over the Saco River, repelling not just the physical presence of hate but also the destructive ideology it sought to spread. As we reflect on this day, we must acknowledge that past prejudices, which plagued earlier generations, still echo today. The hostility faced by earlier immigrant groups subsists, now directed at today’s new Mainers – immigrants and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Congo, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan and beyond. Like those before them, they seek refuge from war, genocide, religious and political persecution and economic hardship.

Despite history’s lessons, new Mainers often face the biases and prejudices that confronted earlier immigrants – whether through workplace discrimination, housing inequities or social exclusion. Heartbreaking stories of racially charged bullying in Maine schools, including Biddeford schools, have emerged. In our public spaces, families are met with racial slurs, racist flyers, Islamophobia and Confederate flags designed to intimidate and promote white supremacy. These incidents remind us that the fight against bigotry is far from over, and our commitment to combating these injustices must not merely adapt – it must intensify.

The story of 1924 reminds us that when hatred rises, so must our resolve. The Irish and Franco Americans, who were once targets of such bigotry, teach us the importance of extending solidarity to all who now call Maine home. Just as past generations stood together against the Klan, we must unite against the modern incarnations of bigotry and fascism.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. observed, though the arc of history bends toward justice, it is a path often marked by stones unturned and steps retraced. Progress requires more than merely walking the path; it demands we clear it for those who follow – removing obstacles and forging ahead with determination toward new vistas of justice and inclusion.

In this spirit, let the legacy of those who stood firm a century ago remind us that the fight for justice is never-ending but worth the struggle.