Editing Cross burning (section)

==Symbol of the Ku Klux Klan==
[[File:Ku Klux Klan members and a burning cross, Denver, Colorado, 1921.jpg|thumb|Ku Klux Klan members conduct a cross burning in 1921.]]
[[File:J.L. Brodie - The Fiery Cross. - ILN 1863 (cropped).png|thumb|A Victorian depiction of the ''crann tara'']]
In the [[Ku Klux Klan#First Klan|first era]], [[Reconstruction era|Reconstruction]] Klans did not burn crosses. The belief that reconstruction Klans burned crosses was introduced by [[Thomas Dixon Jr.]], in his novel ''[[The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan]]'' (1905). A cross burning is first described in Book IV Chapter 2 "The Fiery Cross" on pages 324–326 of the 1905 edition. It is introduced by one of the characters as "the old Scottish rite of the burning cross. It will send a thrill of inspiration to every clansmen in the hills." It is further elaborated that

<blockquote>In olden times when the Chieftain of our people summoned the clan on an errand of life and death, the Fiery Cross, extinguished in sacrificial blood, was sent by swift courier from village to village. This call was never made in vain, nor will it be to-night in the new world. Here, on this spot made holy ground by the blood of those we hold dearer than life, I raise the ancient symbol of an unconquered race of men—</blockquote>

This scene is accompanied by an unnumbered plate illustration by [[Arthur I. Keller]], captioned "'The fiery cross of old Scotland's hills'", showing two robed, unmasked Klansmen, one of whom is holding a lighted cross, over a bound, blindfolded and gagged Black American, while robed and hooded klansmen look on.<ref>Dixon, Thomas, 1864–1946. Arthur I. Keller, illustr. ''The clansman; an historical romance of the Ku Klux Klan'' New York Doubleday, pages 324-327</ref> The novel ends with a Klansman waiting for election results stating "Look at our lights on the mountains! They are ablaze - range on range our signals gleam until the Fiery Cross is lost among the stars" meaning that he had won and civilization had been saved in the South.<ref>Dixon, p. 374</ref> The fiery cross is mentioned once again in the final novel of Dixon's Klan trilogy, ''The Traitor: A Story of the Fall of the Invisible Empire'', when a [[Grand Dragon]] tosses a burning cross on a heap of discarded Klan robes and regalia in obedience to the order of the [[Grand Dragon]] to dissolve the order.<ref>Dixon, Thomas, 1864–1946 ''The traitor; a story of the fall of the invisible empire'' New York, Doubleday, Page & Company, 1907 p.53</ref> This scene is accompanied by an illustration captioned "Some of the men were sobbing" by Charles David Williams featuring a gathering of Klansmen over a burning pile of robes, carrying three burning crosses.<ref>Dixon, 1907 unnumbered plate between pp.52-3</ref>