All in the Family was legendary for its humorous treatment of bigotry and serious, reflective look at the effects of racism on American society. Usually it was light-hearted, but sometimes the episodes were deadly serious and — rather than gentle kidding from Lionel Jefferson (as was the form in early episodes) — as it is this time, when Archie has an all-too-close, frightening encounter with the Ku Klux Klan.
By the end of "Archie and the KKK", the title protagonist will have taken a serious look at his own attitudes and just how far he's willing to allow his bigotry to go. And it left viewers with some very soul-searching questions, including (but certainly not limited to): "Is there a difference between bigotry — namely, the type Archie was known for — and racism?"
Archie and Edith stay with Mike and Gloria during the 1977 New York blackout. With no electricity and nothing to do, Archie and Mike begin to converse — which means arguing about social events. On this occasion Archie accuses the rash of break-ins and looting to the blacks, but Mike blames the government for creating a social stigma against poor people by creating an environment that tells everyone what they should own, and what they should wear all to generate free enterprise. His anger leads him to write a letter to the editor.
Later, at the bar, when patrons needle Archie relentlessly about Mike's opinions after the letter is published, he rants against his son-in-law's liberal opinions. He unknowingly is overheard by two men sitting at the end of the bar. The men named Gordie and Mitch, both old friends of Archie, encourage Archie to join their new organization, the Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders, a civic organization described as dedicated to keeping crime and disorder out of the neighborhood. Archie is intrigued and decides to go to their meeting. After all, all he wants is for Mike to see the situation involving looting — "free enterprise" or not, the looters and criminals were simply criminals and lawless thugs — his way.
But what Archie expects to happen is clearly nothing compared to what actually happens.
Archie arrives and quickly realizes that the organization is a branch of the Klu Klux Klan — using an assumed name to lure in new members who share some of their political and social values, gain a foothold in the community, fly under the radar of an unsuspecting public and keep critics off-guard — and that, because of his letter, it is targeting Mike for a cross burning.
Archie endures a sleepless night, and explains to Edith his predicament. Edith can't come up with a good way for Archie to try to back out. That morning, Gordie is at the back door, explaining in detail their plans to initiate Archie ... and even more darkly, the Klan's plan to burn crosses at five different locations - including Mike's house due to the angry letter that he recently wrote to the newspaper.
The next day, Archie goes to see Mike to try and talk him into recanting his letter; of course, Mike says no. As Archie presses on, he fumbles his explanation about the Klan's planned cross burning, and Mike and Gloria conclude (mistakenly) that he has joined the Klan. Mike is so outraged that he tells Archie to get out and never return, and that he is never to so much as lay eyes on Joey again.
Realizing his poor explanation — but even worse, his past history of bigotry and discomfort for non-whites — has led to potential lifetime estrangement from the people he truly loves, Archie realizes what he must do. That afternoon, he goes to the meeting place and asks Mitch and Gordie to reconsider their plans. When they refuse, Archie tells them what he thinks of the KKK and what they stand for ... that he doesn't like them one bit. He also does not want Joey to witness a cross burning, because that's neither what the cross stands for (hate) nor does he want Joey believing that. Gordie then realizes maybe Archie's not "Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders material" after all ... and then not being a true-blooded American. They threaten to burn a cross in front of the Bunkers' house, and when Archie counters by threatening to expose them to everyone he knows and that he will call the authorities if he knows them to be engaging in cross burnings anywhere in New York City, they scoff at him.
Which leads to Archie explaining that, when he had his gall bladder operation a year ago, his transfusion came from an African American, hence he's really black. He then says he can sic his black brothers on them. Mitch and Gordie think Archie is certifiably nuts, but before they can tell him to get out, Archie does a "feet, do your stuff" and makes a hasty retreat.
It is presumed thereafter that Mike learned that Archie made his heroic move, forgives him and allows him to see Joey again.
Tropes associated with this episode:
- The Atoner: Archie's Redemption Quest to stop the Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders from burning a cross on Mike's lawn.
- Brotherhood of Funny Hats: The Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders, which Archie wants to join because Gordie, Mitch and others seem to share the same political and social beliefs as he ... until it comes time to talk about a cross burning. The name, of course, is a misnomer ... they are actually using the name to thwart critics, covertly engage in their ugly, hate-filled activities and operate under the cover of being a community-action group trying to rid neighborhoods of crime and other undesirable things.
- Cassandra Truth: Archie's explanation that he's really black, since the blood he received during his gall bladder explanation came from an African American. The moral here being that in situations such as Archie was in, if an outright lie is needed to get yourself out of the predicament, so be it.
- Continuity Nod: To Season 7's "Archie's Operation". Never in Archie's wildest imagination did he ever think he'd be grateful to receive a blood transfusion from a nurse from the West Indies ... or be able to use that experience to proudly announce his "heritage" and, in essence, tell Mitch and Gordie where to stick it.
- Everyone Has Standards: There's (an unseen) line which Archie has drawn, with his staunchly, rigidly conservative beliefs on one side and outright racism, intolerance and hate on the other. Bigoted and sometimes strongly to be sure, until his encounter with Gordie and Mitch and the KKK, Archie himself does not know just how close he's come to crossing this line he doesn't want to cross, nor did he ever see himself treading the thin line between love and hate.
- Get Out!: Mike tells Archie this when he learns that he joined the Ku Klux Klan, and refuses to accept his father-in-law's explanation that they aren't really that group, they're just the Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders. Mike flat-out tells Archie he is no longer welcome in his home ... or around little Joey.
- Harassing Phone Call: Mike gets one of these from someone who read Mike's letter in the newspaper.
- Heel Realization and My God, What Have I Done?: Archie, when he realizes that the community action group he joined is really the KKK and that they plan to harass Mike. Archie has to think fast to thwart their plans.
- Idiot Ball: Mike knew Archie was bigoted, but even he never would have thought he'd join the KKK. He tells him that the group is using the name Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders to fool others into joining and throw the opposition off, and that he thought that Archie was at least smart enough to figure out what the Kweens's shortened name was, just by doing a little thinking.
- The Klan: The organizers of a KKK group, covertly trying to get a chapter started in Archie's neighborhood, calls itself the Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders to lure new members in.
- Letters to the Editor: A major part of forming the plot: Mike's letter to the editor, in response to looting and other crime during the electric blackout, suggests perceived injustice and frustration with an economic system geared toward affluent whites and against already impoverished African Americans and other minorities.
- Noble Bigot: This has always been a part of Archie's character, but doesn't kick in until he realizes he is at critical risk of losing his family.
- Oh, Crap!: At the "Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders" meeting, when Archie sees the white, hooded robes and several others in the meeting room putting them on ... he then realizes the meeting he was invited to is not one organized by men frustrated with crime in their neighborhood, but genuine hate-filled racists running a Klu Klux Klan chapter.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- Mike, initially, when he tells Archie he actually joined the KKK and that ... given his history of bigotry, tells him he no longer is allowed around Joey.
- Archie tells Gordie he detests everything he and the KKK stand for. note
- Redemption Quest: When Archie realizes what's at stake after he botched trying to warn Mike about the planned cross burning, he has to prove to his son-in-law, his grandson Joey ... and most importantly himself that he is no racist or KKK-type person, by trying to cancel his pending membership into the group calling itself the Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders any way he can.
- Ripped from the Headlines: The episode was presumably set right around the time of the July 1977 New York City blackout, which affected most of the Big Apple including Queens (only the southern part was not affected). Mike refers to looting and other crime that resulted from the blackout.
- Schmuck Bait: Archie doesn't realize the Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders is operating under that assumed name ... and that their initials spell out KKK — as in, the Klu Klux Klan. Only when Archie goes to an initiation meeting, where Gordie, Mitch and the others finalize their plans to burn a cross on Mike's lawn, does he realize what he may got himself into.
- Suddenly Ethnicity: The unexpected card Archie pulls on Gordie and Mitch — he's really a black woman, given his recent blood transfusion — when they laugh at his warning that he'll expose them to the community and that he plans to call the police and have them charged with hate crimes.
- This Is Unforgivable!: Mike's ass-chewing of his father-in-law when he (mistakenly) believes he's joined the KKK.
- Very Special Episode: Dealing with racism and bigotry was, of course, nothing new for AItF. Looking at the issue from this angle, however, and the potentially severe consequences — a planned cross-burning, the KKK's involvement, possible permanent estrangement between little Joey and Archie (due to Mike telling him to stay away) and Archie seriously reflecting on his own attitudes toward minorities — make this more dramatic than the normal episode.
- Xtreme Kool Letterz: The "Kweens Kouncil of Krusaders" taking on a very misleading name.
