Ku Klux Klan

Definition

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a racist, anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, and anti-Semitic hate group that has existed in various forms since the end of the American Civil War. The Klan's primary goals have been to maintain white supremacy, target minority groups, and oppose Reconstruction efforts to integrate formerly enslaved African Americans into society.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Ku Klux Klan was founded in 1866 by Confederate veterans in Pulaski, Tennessee, with the goal of terrorizing and intimidating freed slaves and their supporters.
2. During the Reconstruction era, the Klan used violence, intimidation, and political influence to undermine the efforts of the federal government to protect the rights of African Americans.
3. The Klan experienced a resurgence in the 1920s, targeting not only African Americans but also immigrants, Catholics, and Jews, and gaining significant political power in some regions.
4. The Klan's tactics during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, including bombings, lynchings, and other acts of violence, played a significant role in the struggle for racial equality.
5. While the Klan has experienced periods of decline, it continues to exist today, with various splinter groups and offshoots maintaining a presence in certain parts of the United States.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Ku Klux Klan's actions during the Reconstruction era undermined the federal government's efforts to protect the rights of African Americans.
  • During the Reconstruction era, the Ku Klux Klan used violence, intimidation, and political influence to undermine the federal government's efforts to protect the civil and political rights of newly freed African Americans. The Klan targeted and terrorized freed slaves and their supporters, using tactics such as lynchings, beatings, and arson to create an atmosphere of fear and oppression. This effectively undermined the ability of the federal government to implement its Reconstruction policies and ensure the full integration of African Americans into society.
• Describe the Ku Klux Klan's resurgence in the 1920s and the groups it targeted during this period.
  • In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan experienced a significant resurgence, expanding its reach and targeting not only African Americans, but also immigrants, Catholics, and Jews. The Klan gained significant political power in certain regions, using its influence to promote a vision of a white, Protestant, and nativist America. The Klan's tactics during this period, which included rallies, parades, and acts of violence, were aimed at maintaining white supremacy and opposing the growing diversity and pluralism of American society.
• Analyze the Ku Klux Klan's role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and how its actions contributed to the struggle for racial equality.
  • The Ku Klux Klan played a significant and detrimental role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The Klan's tactics, which included bombings, lynchings, and other acts of violence, were aimed at maintaining racial segregation and opposing the efforts of civil rights leaders and organizations to achieve equality. The Klan's actions, which were often carried out with the tacit or explicit support of local law enforcement and political officials, created an atmosphere of fear and oppression that hindered the progress of the Civil Rights Movement. However, the Klan's violent actions also galvanized public support for the civil rights cause and helped to spur the federal government to take stronger action to protect the rights of African Americans.

Related terms

White Supremacy: The belief that the white race is superior to all other races, and that white people should dominate society.

Vigilantism: The practice of ordinary citizens taking law enforcement into their own hands, often through the use of violence.

Reconstruction:

The period after the Civil War when the federal government attempted to reintegrate the Confederate states and grant civil and political rights to formerly enslaved African Americans.