“The New KKK” is the premiere episode of the CNN docuseries United Shades of America hosted by Black stand-up comedian and political provocateur W. Kamau Bell, which originally aired on April 24, 2016.
In the episode, Bell travels to the American South to confront the modern landscape of white supremacy. He engages directly with active members of the Ku Klux Klan, including an Arkansas leader of the International Keystone Knights who attempts to rebrand the organization as “pro-white” rather than anti-Black, framing its mission as recruiting white Christian men of good moral character.
Throughout the episode, Bell uses his signature blend of disarming humour, conversational candor, and firm resolve to navigate tense, high-stakes environments. He highlights how many everyday Americans—including white residents living in the very same communities—remain completely unaware that active KKK chapters operate in their neighbourhoods. A central moment of the episode features Bell attending a monthly cross-lighting ceremony in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, hosted by the Nordic Order Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, marking a rare instance of a Black man witnessing the ritual firsthand.
Rather than attempting to aggressively debate or radically convert his subjects, Bell uses the dialogue to expose the underlying fears, cultural shifts, and persistence of modern racial animus across the United States. The episode serves as a wake-up call regarding the spectrum of contemporary racism, proving that white supremacist ideologies did not end with the Civil Rights era. It established the tone for the series, which frequently dives into uncomfortable, marginalized, or fringe subcultures to test the boundaries of American identity.