Although Ray was never convicted of any Klan-related crimes, he did admit to being a former member of the KKK. In a 1968 interview with reporter William Bradford Huie, Ray stated that he joined the KKK in the 1950s and that he had participated in several Klan activities, including cross-burnings and attacks on African Americans.
Ray's membership in the KKK is significant because it provides insight into his racist beliefs and his potential motives for assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. It is clear that Ray held deep-seated prejudices against African Americans and that he was willing to use violence to achieve his goals.