Illinois Hate Groups: Map Shows Active Racist Organizations

After a white nationalist gathering whipped up violence — resulting in the death of an anti-racism protester — in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Southern Poverty Law Center is reminding Americans that organized hate isn't a thing of the past. SPLC says nearly 1,000 organizations that meet its criteria for being designated a hate group are currently active nationwide.

In the Land of Lincoln, SPLC says 32 hate groups — from white supremacists to anti-LGBTQ, anti-Muslim and black separatist organizations — are active. The SLPC website has an interactive map showing the location of hate groups state by state. The organization defines hate groups as those that "have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics."

The Many Symbols Of The Modern White Power Movement

Here's where the groups are active in Illinois:

• The Creativity Movement, headquarters in Bloomington: Neo-Nazi
• United Dixie White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide: KKK
• Sons & Daughters of Liberty, statewide: white nationalist
• Soldiers of Odin, statewide: anti-Muslim
• Ku Klos Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, statewide: KKK
• White Boys Society, statewide: white nationalist
• White Boy Society, statewide: white nationalist
• Divine International Church of the Web, Morton: Christian identity
• Illinois Family Institute Tri-County chapter, Peoria: anti-LGBT
• New Black Panther Party, Springfield: Black separatist
• Aryan Nations Sadistic Souls MC, Canton: Neo-Nazi
• Aryan Nations Sadistic Souls MC, Taylorville: Neo-Nazi
• Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, Naperville: anti-LGBT
• Heterosexuals Organized for a Moral Environment (H.O.M.E.), Downers Grove: anti-LGBT
• Hostile Class Productions, Burbank: hate music
• Aryan Nations Sadistic Souls MC, Wood River: Neo-Nazi
• Illinois Family Institute, Carol Stream: anti-LGBT
• Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Clay City: KKK
• America First Committee, Lyons: Neo-Nazi
• All Eyes On Egipt Bookstore, Chicago: Black separatist
• Nation of Islam, Chicago: Black separatist
• Crew 38, Chicago: Racist skinhead
• Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge, Chicago, Black separatist
• Black Riders Liberation Party, Chicago: Black separatist
• Euro Folk Radio, Chicago: Christian identity
• Resistance Records, Chicago: hate music
• Northern Hammerskins, Chicago: racist skinhead
• Israel United in Christ, Chicago: Black separatist
• ACT for American, Des Plaines: anti-Muslim
• Nation of Islam, Rockford: Black separatist
• Nation of Islam, East St. Louis: Black separatist
• World Congress of Families/Howard Center for Family, Religion, and Society, Rockford: anti-LGBT
• Ku Klos Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Gurnee: KKK

The SPLC's Hate Map is searchable by hate group and state.

• MORE: Hate Groups In America: They're Everywhere

In Chicago and the suburbs, demonstrators gathered Sunday to protest the violence in Charlottesville and pay tribute to Heather Heyer, the woman killed when a vehicle plowed into a crowd of anti-racist protesters. Two Virginia state troopers were also killed in a helicopter crash near the site of the "Unite the Right" demonstration in Charlottesville.

Matthew Hale, former leader of the Illinois-based Creativity Movement, was convicted in 2004 of trying to solicit the murder of the federal judge who presided over a copyright trial involving his group, which was then using the name of a non-racist church. He is currently serving a 40-year-sentence at a supermax facility in Colorado.

A letter purportedly written by Hale's mother posted to multiple neo-Nazi and white supremacist websites claims Hale believes White House Chief Strategist Steven Bannon is the key to winning him a presidential pardon. The letter urges supporters to write letters to Bannon, and says, "(Hale) said that the Jews are trying to push Bannon out of the Whitehouse, attempting to make President Trump their puppet. Matt asks that you send Steve Bannon a letter explaining that Matt is an innocent man and asking him to review the trial transcript where he will find that Matt committed no crime and that no evidence was presented at his trial that he ever committed any crime."

More from Illinois Patch:

• White Supremacist Gets 10 For Torching Black Family's Home
• Klan Fight: Ku Klux Klan Clash Between Racist Groups Recruiting In Suburbs
• KKK Leader Who Recruited in New Lenox Found Dead

Main image: In this April 23, 2016 photo, members of the Ku Klux Klan participate in cross and swastika burnings after a "white pride" rally in Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)