The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that the number of white nationalist hate groups increased 55% throughout the Trump era, from 2017 to 2019. In 2020, the number of hate crimes reached the highest level in more than a decade, the FBI reported. (Here is the hate crime rate in every state.)
To determine the largest hate groups in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hate Map for 2021. Hate groups were ranked by the number of total active chapters in the U.S.
There were 733 hate and 488 anti-government groups in the United States last year, down from 838 hate groups and 566 anti-government groups documented in 2020 and the record-high 1,021 in 2018. But the SPLC says that while the number of hate and groups is lower, hate and extremism “has coalesced into a broader movement that is both threatening our democracy at the community level and embracing violence as a means to achieve white supremacist goals.”
The total number of hate group members is unknown, but the largest hate groups in the United States boast dozens of chapters nationwide. These groups include the white nationalists of the Texas-based Patriot Front, the Chicago-based antisemitic group Nation of Islam, and the Miami-based general hate group Proud Boys, the largest U.S. hate group by number of chapters.
Not all of these organizations have armed, mask-wearing members, but all of them promote bigotry or discrimination in one form or another. Waltham, Massachusetts-based Mass Resistance targets members of the LGBTQ community, while Washington D.C.-based ACT for America uses a backdrop of legitimacy as a 501(c)(3)-registered, i.e. a nonprofit group, to stoke fear of Muslims. (Here is the last slaveholder in Congress from every state.)
Out of the largest hate groups in America, most are defined as “general hate” – meaning that they embrace a broad range of bigotries, including misogyny, racism, and hateful aversion to Jews, Muslims, and immigrants. Out of the 29 largest U.S. hate groups that have headquarters, four are based in New York state. Washington, Virginia, and California have three hate group headquarters each.
Here are the largest hate groups in America.
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
29. Wolves of Vinland
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: Lynchburg, Virginia
> Ideology: Neo-Völkisch
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28. Vinlanders Social Club
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: N/A
> Ideology: Racist Skinhead
27. United Skinhead Nation
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: N/A
> Ideology: Racist Skinhead
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
26. The Base
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: Washington
> Ideology: White Nationalist
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Source: jamesvancouver / iStock via Getty Images
25. Sure Foundation Baptist Church
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: Vancouver, Washington
> Ideology: Anti-LGBTQ
Source: Sara D. Davis / Getty Images News via Getty Images
24. New Black Panther Party
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: Houston, Texas
> Ideology: General Hate
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
23. National Alliance
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: Mountain City, Tennessee
> Ideology: Neo-Nazi
24/7 Wall St.
22. Israelites Saints of Christ
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: Richmond, Virginia
> Ideology: General Hate
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
21. American Front
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: N/A
> Ideology: Racist Skinhead
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
20. American Christian Dixie Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: Tennessee
> Ideology: Ku Klux Klan
19. 14 First
> Active chapters: 3
> Headquarters: Washington
> Ideology: Neo-Nazi
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Source: Chris LaBasco / iStock via Getty Images
18. Pacific Justice Institute
> Active chapters: 4
> Headquarters: Sacramento, California
> Ideology: Anti-LGBTQ
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
17. Nationalist Social Club (NSC-131)
> Active chapters: 5
> Headquarters: Massachusetts
> Ideology: Neo-Nazi
Source: Spencer Platt / Getty Images News via Getty Images
16. National Socialist Movement
> Active chapters: 6
> Headquarters: Kissimmee, Florida
> Ideology: Neo-Nazi
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Source: GCShutter / E+ via Getty Images
15. House of Israel
> Active chapters: 6
> Headquarters: New York, New York
> Ideology: General Hate
Source: Sara D. Davis / Getty Images News via Getty Images
14. New Black Panther Party for Self Defense
> Active chapters: 7
> Headquarters: N/A
> Ideology: General Hate
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13. The United Nuwaupians Worldwide/All Eyes on Egipt
> Active chapters: 8
> Headquarters: N/A
> Ideology: General Hate
12. Mass Resistance
> Active chapters: 8
> Headquarters: Waltham, Massachusetts
> Ideology: Anti-LGBTQ
Source: f11photo / iStock via Getty Images
11. Sicarii 1715
> Active chapters: 11
> Headquarters: San Diego, California
> Ideology: General Hate
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10. League of the South
> Active chapters: 11
> Headquarters: Alabama
> Ideology: Neo-Confederate
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
9. Folks Front/Folkish Resistance Movement
> Active chapters: 11
> Headquarters: Arizona
> Ideology: Neo-Nazi
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8. ACT for America
> Active chapters: 22
> Headquarters: Washington, District of Columbia
> Ideology: Anti-Muslim
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
7. Asatru Folk Assembly
> Active chapters: 24
> Headquarters: California
> Ideology: Neo-Völkisch
Source: TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images
6. Great Millstone
> Active chapters: 30
> Headquarters: New York, New York
> Ideology: General Hate
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Source: Win McNamee / Getty Images News via Getty Images
5. Patriot Front
> Active chapters: 42
> Headquarters: Texas
> Ideology: White Nationalist
4. Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge
> Active chapters: 44
> Headquarters: New York, New York
> Ideology: General Hate
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
3. Israel United In Christ
> Active chapters: 49
> Headquarters: Mount Vernon, New York
> Ideology: General Hate
2. Nation of Islam
> Active chapters: 54
> Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois
> Ideology: Antisemitism
Source: Nathan Howard / Getty Images News via Getty Images
1. Proud Boys
> Active chapters: 72
> Headquarters: Miami, Florida
> Ideology: General Hate
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