Envision living in a society where innocent people are murdered simply because of a difference in their skin color. Throughout much of America’s history, many African-American’s living in southern United States faced such threats to their lives. However, it was not the actions of the individual that served to endanger the lives of African-Americans in the south but rather the actions of a group of people with similar ideas. The Ku Klux Klan group was the most infamous of all groups. The Ku Klux Klan, also abbreviated as the “KKK”, was contributed to a long lasting racism of Blacks in America that even continues on till this day. Originated over one hundred years ago, the Ku Klux Klan has passed on through many eras that constrained blacks and …show more content…
The activities of the modern Ku Klux Klan vary from den to den depending on the inclination of its members. Some dens used violence to enforce their ideas while others fought politically against opposing views. Regardless the main goal of the Ku Klux Klan today is the progression of the White race and it is the same goal the original founders focused on. “The Klan of today has fragmented into more than 40 separate factions. A rather high association with unlawful activity such as hate crimes and domestic terrorism gave people a bad image of the KKK and has lessened the hate between American Caucasians and …show more content…
The individuals that chose to act against the minorities are the people who would decide to join the Ku Klux Klan. Members of the Klan tried dispose of any power and benefits the blacks and other minorities were given throughout history. They had all different methods, from burning down homes to murder, that they would use to terrorize the blacks, Jews, and others. What reasoning did the members of the Ku Klux Klan have for behaving with such violence? The Ku Klux Klan felt that they ought to have power and predominance over all other races, and that was reason enough for them. A few researchers felt that the Ku Klux Klan was only hate group, while others believed that they were just a group of people who had extreme pride in their race and religion. But undoubtedly, the Ku Klux Klan had an overwhelming feeling of power over the minorities in America, and would do anything possible to make sure the minorities remain the
The KKK is an influential part of society that is responsible for hate crimes throughout
However, all acts of reconstruction were cut short when the South ultimately killed it. People like the Ku Klux Klan helped to ensure that reconstruction would be stopped and the South would regain its power. The Ku Klux Klan was one of the main groups of people that destroyed reconstruction because of their extreme ways. They used violence as a way to achieve their goal of destroying reconstruction. They killed many people just because of the color of their skin.
In the South, there was a group called the Ku Klux Klan, or the KKK. They would run rampant killing whoever they pleased, and no one would stop them. The KKK would kill political figures who supported Reconstruction or freedman. In a testimony to the Senate, Abram Colby states, “On the 29th of October 1869, [the Klansmen] broke my door open , took me out of my bed, took me to the woods and whipped me three hours or more and left me for dead” (Colby 513). The KKK targeted African Americans and tortured them to death.
Originally designed as a club for ex-Confederate soldiers, the KKK became a “vehicle for Southern white underground resistance to Radical Reconstruction” (The Editors of). Members would attack recently freed slaves in an attempt to assert white superiority over blacks. Members could be found spread throughout the southern United States, including in levels of state and local government (The Editors of). Although the KKK saw membership dramatically decline due to growing racial tolerance in the United States, the late 20th century featured a revival of the group due to the Civil Rights movement. KKK attacks on supporters of the movement still occurred until the late 1980’s
The KKK was a white nationalized group that included former veterans, which created the first branch of the group. The Klansmen founded in 1865, in Pulaski, Tennessee, is now known as the birthplace of the KKK. This group dedicated themselves to a campaign of violence to Republican leaders and voters. The KKK targeted many people based on their race or sexuality , including, Gays, Immigrants, African Americans, and Catholics(KKK history). Jim Crow laws,
The Ku Klux Klan was hurting and impacting groups of
Blacks did everything in their power to avoid interaction with the Ku Klux Klan at all costs but sometimes this was inevitable. The Ku Klux Klan was responsible for almost all of the lynchings carried out on blacks during the Jim Crow era and afterwards. The Ku Klux Klan believed in the superiority of the white race and that blacks had no place in their world. They were so strong about their beliefs that they would torture, maim, hang, burn, and beat blacks inhumanely. The Ku Klux Klan created a fear within all African Americans across the
After the Civil War, a group called the Ku Klux Klan, better known today as the KKK, was formed. This group made it almost impossible for new African American citizens to exercise their rights. This group used physical assault and murder to express their opinion about African Americans at that time. In Document B, an image is shown of a member of the KKK teaming up with a member of the White League. Below the two, a small family of slaves huddles together in fear.
The Ku Klux Klan didn’t just got to peoples’ homes or schools, they also would attack prisoners in community jails. The Klan never attacked during the day so that they wouldn’t get caught by southern officials. So, for safety they would only attack at night. This group was made up of white heterosexual men that didn’t agree with the government’s views. One of the worst attacks that happened was in 1865.
Almost every American state had some type of KKK group and all had the same beliefs as what was being preached by their leadership. Over the years the groups have been responsible for not only lynching’s and intimidation but also increasing their tactics of terror by using explosives to kill or maim colored people and those who supported or fought for their rights.
As the Ku Klux Klan’s membership grew, organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which fought to end racial discrimination and segregation, grew as well. With these two growing groups pushing for opposite ideals, tensions continued to increase. The NAACP pushed for reform and rights for African Americans and the Ku Klux Klan combated their progress with lynching and
On April 12, 1861, a brutal war broke out between the north and the south called the Civil War. Some say the north, or Union, went to war to abolish slavery, but the south, or Confederates, went to war for states’ rights. Abraham Lincoln, who was president at the time, called the nation “a house divided” because the north and south did not agree. Four long years later, the Union won the victory on May 9, 1865.
The Ku Klux Klan first emerged in Pulaski, Tennessee following the Civil War. As we know today, the mere mention of the Klan triggers fear as the KKK is known for its various tactics of violence that came in the form if lynchings, murders, and mutilations. Following their emergence, the KKK were quickly symbolized and portrayed as the protectors of the South, following the defeat of the Southern states in the Civil War and the beginning of the period of Reconstruction by the federal government (Gurr, 1989, p. 132). During the 1920s, the KKK achieved its greatest political success and growth outside of the South. During this period, the membership of the Klan heavily expanded to the states of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Oregon, to which the KKK obtained two to two and one-half million members at its apex.
The Ku Klux Klan or KKK has created centuries of fear. They originated in Pulaski, Tennessee. The famous hate group was out to re establish white supremacy. The KKK has influenced local governments and people in power. It has also had an impact on American people and specifically black minorities.
The analysis and finding of the Ku Klux Klan is that this extremist group is also associated as a hate group as time evolved with the definition of hate groups and todays extremist Christian groups. This data and finding has been accumulated from research of the origin of the Ku Klux Klan and their extreme actions in carrying out what they believed to be the right forum of saving America from those they identified as not being of American decent. Throughout history they have intimidated those whom are not so called pure white and their belief in racial superiority over all nationalities. These accounts have been verified though quantitative research approach though out history by historians.