Ku Klux Klan Research Paper

The Klu Klux Klan

An American Nightmare

Trina N. Gross

African American History Since 1877

Dr. Mikkelson

June 25, 2017

Concerns about terrorism has become a new normal in America over the last 16 years, however the historic prevalence of terrorism in America is irrefutable. Terrorism has had an unremitting presence in America since its beginning. Some would contend that the Republic itself was founded by terroristic type actions of the explorers who happened upon the land that was inhabited by Native Americans. America is still overwhelmed with terrorism, with an unknown number of terrorist and hate groups currently active. However, one of the earliest organized terrorist groups in America is the Ku Klux Klan. Over 150

These patrols were state sanctioned activities carried out nightly to ensure African American slaves were where they were supposed to be always. These patrols often included interrogation and intimidation, as well as use of violence.1. The earliest record of slave patrols was in Virginia in 1704 and every southern state sanctioned these slave patrols and they remained in effect until the end of the Civil War. 1.

The Ku Klux Klan is born The Ku Klux Klan was founded May 1866 in Pulaski Tennessee by a group of Confederate veterans. Originally formed as a social group, the Ku Klux Klan chose their name from the Greek word “klukos” which means circle.2 They resented the African Americans newly gained rights, particularly their right to vote and it wasn’t long before member of the Ku Klux Klan adopted the ways of their predecessors and began their reign of terror on the African American community. The Ku Klux Klan quickly became a highly organized group and had installed their first leader, Nathan Bedford Forest.

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Nathan Bedford Forest was a slave owner prior to the Civil War and fought for the

The Southern Poverty Law Center’s hate watch reports the number of Ku Klux Klan chapters is unknown, however the hate watch extremist map shows a strong presence of Klan membership in the Southeast part of the country. The vast drop in membership is not an indication of white supremacy declining as many White supremacist groups now exist under various titles such as the Aryan Nation, neo-Nazis and the Alt Reich. Since the 2016 election, the United States has seen an increase is racially motivated incidents and murder including the recent murder of Richard Collins III a student of Bowie State University who was fatally stabbed by an admitted White