Ku Klux Klan

Flag of the Ku Klux Klan

Ku Klux Klan costumes in North Carolina in 1870

KKK night rally in Chicago c1920 cph.3b12355

JudgeMagazine16Aug1924

Kkk-carpetbagger-cartoon

Anti-kkk-cartoon

Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a white supremacist group that was founded in the United States in 1865. The organization has advocated extremist reactionary positions such as white nationalism, anti-immigration, and—especially in later iterations—Nordicism, and is characterized by the use of terrorism, violence, and intimidation against groups or individuals whom they oppose. The KKK is known for its distinctive white robes and hoods, which members wear to conceal their identities.

History

The Ku Klux Klan was originally established by former Confederate veterans in Pulaski, Tennessee, as a fraternal social club. The organization quickly became a vehicle for Southern white resistance to the Reconstruction policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for African Americans. Its members sought to restore white supremacy through intimidation and violence directed at black people and their allies.

First Ku Klux Klan

The first Klan flourished in the Southern United States in the late 1860s, then died out by the early 1870s. Members used terrorism, violence, and lynching to intimidate and murder black people, white Republican leaders, and others in support of their goals.

Second Ku Klux Klan

The Klan was revived in 1915, influenced by the film The Birth of a Nation. This iteration of the Klan expanded its targets to include not only black people but also Jews, Catholics, immigrants, leftists, and others. The second Klan was more organized in its structure and had a broader national reach, with millions of members at its peak in the 1920s.

Third Ku Klux Klan

After a period of decline, the Klan again resurfaced in the 1950s and 1960s, in opposition to the Civil Rights Movement. This version of the Klan was responsible for bombings, murders, and intimidation aimed at disrupting the movement for civil rights and maintaining segregation.

Ideology

The ideology of the Ku Klux Klan centers on the belief in white supremacy and a desire for the segregation of races. Over time, the Klan's ideology expanded to include a broader range of prejudices, including anti-Semitism, anti-Catholicism, and nativism. The Klan believes in the protection of what it sees as the American way of life and opposes what it views as foreign or corrupt influences.

Activities

The activities of the Ku Klux Klan have included parades, cross burnings, lynchings, and other forms of violence and intimidation. These acts are meant to terrorize and suppress individuals and groups that oppose the Klan's views or that the Klan views as inferior.

Legacy

The legacy of the Ku Klux Klan is one of hate, violence, and terror. It has left an indelible mark on American history, symbolizing the extreme lengths to which individuals and groups will go to promote racial discrimination and intolerance. Despite efforts to curb its activities, various factions of the Klan have persisted into the 21st century, although with significantly reduced membership and influence.

See also

• Racism in the United States
• Civil Rights Movement
• Hate group
• White nationalism