Hammerskins

The Hammerskins, (also known as Hammerskin Nation) are a white supremacist group formed in 1988 in Dallas, Texas.^[1]

The Hammerskins' primary focus is the production and promotion of white power rock music, and many white power bands were affiliated with the group. The Hammerskins were affiliated with the record label 9% Productions. The Hammerskins idealized those they consider historical warriors for the Aryan race, such as Vikings and Nazis. Many of its members have been convicted of harassment, assault and even murder.^[1]

The Hammerskins are considered the United States' most well-organized white power skinhead group. Power struggles had split the group into several factions.^[2] In addition to the five chapters in the United States, Hammerskin chapters exist in Canada, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, New Zealand and Australia. The Hammerskins have supporter chapters, known as Crew 38, in most of these countries. The Hammerskins host several annual concerts, including Hammerfest, an annual event in both the United States and Europe in honor of deceased Hammerskin Joe Rowan, the lead singer of the band Nordic Thunder.^[1]

Logo

The Hammerskins logo, depicting two claw hammers crossed to resemble goose-stepping legs, is based on a fictitious neo-nazi organization depicted in the 1982 film Pink Floyd The Wall. The portrayal of the fictional group in the film was intended to show Nazism negatively.^[1] Their logo and motto Hammerskins Forever, Forever Hammerskins (HFFH) often appear in their paraphernalia and tattoos. Crew 38 and Hammerskins members also frequently identify themselves with the slogan "838," meaning "hail the crossed hammers" (the acronym HCH translates into the eighth, third, and eighth letters of the alphabet).^[3]

Downfall

On November 21, 2001, a Riverside, California, jury convicted Western Hammerskins Travis Miskam and Jesse Douglas of assault, hate crime and gang-related charges in connection with their 1999 attack on a black man.^{[citation needed]} The group also lost a multi-million dollar civil rights lawsuit over the attack on Bowen.^{[citation needed]}

Many Outlaw Hammerskins members attended the 2002 NordicFest, and the group was to provide security for a white pride festival hosted by the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.^[1] The Outlaw Hammerskins are now defunct.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Hammerskins at adl.org
2. ^ "The Hammerskin Nation: Update". Adl.org. http://www.adl.org/learn/extremism_in_america_updates/groups/hammerskin_nation/Hammerskin_up.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-02. 
3. ^ Official Crew 38 website
4. ^ Motley Crews: With Decline of Hammerskins, Independent Skinhead Groups SPLC

External links

• Official website
• Report on Hammerskins from the Anti-Defamation League
• Report on Hammerskins from the Southern Poverty Law Center