The Alabama White Thang
Man or beast?
Earlier this year, I read a truly wild statistic on an Instagram post that claimed the majority of people who go missing in national parks are cryptid enthusiasts searching for Bigfoot.
Is it true? Well, probably not. Roughly 600,000 people go missing in America each year, and while a significant amount of those missing disappear in the wilderness, national parks are actually very protective of the specific amount of people going missing within their borders. It’s really impossible to know how many went missing looking for Sasquatch.
Naturally, this internet search lead me down a whole rabbit hole of Bigfoot information. Did you know that the different names for Bigfoot are not interchangeable, but actually regional variations? I didn’t.
Stories of large, hairy apes are not just an American phenomenon either, they exist in many cultures across the globe with various names and descriptions. The terms Sasquatch and Bigfoot are almost interchangeable, and attributed mostly to the Pacific Northwest. Yeti’s are spotted in the Himalayas, the Skunkape stalks the swamps of Florida, and the Yowie roams the outback of Australia. Wendigos are found in the folklore of indigenous peoples of North America. I became particularly interested in the Alabama White Thang, since part of my novel in progress takes place in and around Alabaster, AL.
Sightings of this particular mythical ape started in the 1940s. Described as eight feet tall with dense white fur, red eyes, and a scream that sounds like a woman, some witnesses also attribute a foul smell to this beast.
According to those who have seen it, the White Thang walks on two legs like a humanoid, runs on all fours, and moves very fast for its size. A few sources described the White Thang as more of a white lion instead of a humanoid creature. Some have only heard its scream.
Almost all who have seen this beast say it seems shy and non threatening. Areas in Alabama where sightings have occurred include Happy Hollow, Walnut Rove, Moody’s Chapel, and Wheeler Wildlife Refuge.
I am not a big believer of cryptids, but I find people who are fascinating. I also love hearing theories on the real world explanations for these supernatural creatures. A great example would be the Hulu documentary Sasquatch, in which Journalist David Holthouse investigates whether the rumor a triple homicide in California’s notorious Emerald Triangle was committed by a Sasquatch could be true.
I didn’t see any theories for white thang sightings during my casual research, but I’ve come up with one of my own. Over the summer I watched Spike Lee’s Black Klansman, and it was the first time I’d seen images of the white hoods and robes synonymous with the KKK in a while. I was struck by how at a glance, the silhouette of the hood and robes resembled the silhouette of the White Thang images I had seen online. Could Klansman be an explanation for these sightings?
Members of the KKK have long been feared for violent acts and intimadating behavior, which may explain why some witnesses have heard the sound of a woman screaming. Perhaps the foul smell was body odor resulting from wearing robes and a hood in the southern heat. I can even envision how a person running with the robes flapping out on either side may look like an animal on all fours in the dark. It would also explain the shyness. The Klan get their boldness and notoriety from gathering in large groups. I would imagine if you happened upon a member on their own they would be a lot less confrontational.
I could only find a few anecdotal accounts of White Thang sightings online, but it would be interesting to do a deeper dive at some point and see if they line up with time periods where the Klan was known to be more active and visible.
What do you think? Is this a plausible explanation, or do you have your own theory? Find me on Instagram and Threads at @l.stevenswriter and let me know.
White Thang File Documents:
Good Day Living AL-What is The Alabama White Thang?
ET Online-CRYPTIDS OF THE SOUTH: THE WHITE THANG OF ALABAMA
AL.com-Alabama’s ‘most mythical creature’ is one you’ve probably not heard of
UNC Pembroke-Battle of Hayes Pond: Routing of the KKK
US News- KKK Groups Still Active in These States in 2017
Encyclopedia of Alabama-Ku Klux Klan in Alabama from 1915-1930
This was an interesting read. Can't wait to see what's next.