Going beyond the roots of the southern states, the KKK had a huge impact on the American society in the 1920’s. To fully understand the Ku Klux Klan you have to know how the KKK originated. The Ku Klux Klan founded in 1866 in the town of Pulaski, Tennessee by former confederate army veterans; the first leader of the KKK is also known as the “Grand Wizard” was Nathan Bedford Forrest who was a former slave trader. The KKK was created in order to enforce white superiority in the south. The Klan members primarily targeted people who were not white, Anglo- Saxon, or Protestant. The Klan would have big gatherings and go around terrorizing these people that they found in superior to the white race, “Throughout its notorious history, factions of the secret fraternal organization have used acts of terrorism—including murder, lynching, arson, rape, and bombing—to oppose the granting of civil rights to African Americans.” (encyclopedia.com) …show more content…
The Klan has inspired others to create their own groups to enforce white superiority; these groups would have parade floats, sponsored public events, free speakers and partake in cross burnings such as the KKK does. The Klan eventually expanded their violence towards small farmers, planters, lawyers, merchants, physicians, and many more. The KKK became so powerful in the regions where most of the Klan was, that members of the local police departments belonged to the KKK or they did not take any actions against the Ku Klux Klan. This problem only got worse; the people who were convicted to have been in the KKK could not find anyone to testify against them in court, so they never really got sentenced for any