As a result of the First Red Scare in the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan was then able to rise and use anti-communism as an excuse to harass any group unlike themselves. It was brought back by a Methodist clergyman named William J. Simmons. The revival was inspired from the Old South, Thomas Dixon’s 1905 book “The Clansman” and D.W. Griffith’s 1915 film “Birth of a Nation.” With the fear of Communism rising the Ku Klux Klan was able to start to grow out of the South. Reasons the Ku Klux Klan was promoting to the people at this time was the ideology of “Americanism” with the idea of patriotism, loyalty, allegiance to the United States and to promote its culture, traditions and customs.The reasons the ku klux klan began to decline was from the fear
At its peak in the 1920s, Klan membership exceeded 4 million people nationwide. The 1920’s , the time of the reborn the Ku Klux Klan, immigration restriction. though this intensified prejudice of the 1920’s
To begin, the Klu Klux Klan is an organization whose purpose is to terrorize people of color. Dressed in all white, their identities are hidden as they attack in the dead of night. The KKK is founded by a group of confederate veterans in 1865, and their goal was to end Reconstruction. The Klan only recruited members who were male, white, and not Jew. Former Confederate Nathaniel Bedford Forrest tried to stop the organization for, “...the Klan’s violent tactics grew too extreme” (Source 1).
Due to the ratification of the amendments, many southern elites could not stand the fact that African Americans were freed. One solution that was developed was to destroy reconstruction by murdering Black Americans. The Ku Klux Klan was then formed, this group consisted of vindictive Confederate Army veterans. Sought out to be heros to many southern democrats, but a nightmare for African American families. The Ku Klux Klan terrorized many African American families, burned down churches, drove thousands of families out of their homes, and caused great mayhem.
Though another standpoint is Bailey’s, who didn’t consider the actions of the KKK to allow them to be called heroes or terrorists. He didn’t talk about all the lynching’s made famous by the KKK, but called their activities “tomfoolery”. (15) Finally, Norton goes into detail by saying that the leaders of the KKK “allowed factionalism along racial and class lines to undermine party unity.” (19) Norton describes more about the main reason as to why the KKK was created and the purpose of existing, which was to terrorize the freed slaves and to make the south the way it was before the
This document shows what the Ku Klux Klan is. The Ku Klux Klan (or KKK) was a white supremacy group, that used violent steps to undermine the republican party and prevent equality for African Americans. This shows how Reconstruction failed because African Americans were still treated very unfairly, even when they were not
“It was the Supreme Court decision against public school segregation on May 17, 1954, that gave the ‘Invisible Empire’ a new impetus and environment for action.” (Chalmers, 5). The Ku Klux Klan burst back into society after this decision that let a young black schoolgirl attend class at a previously all-white school. They shed off prior goals and ambitions from the past KKK generations to just leave one major belief, their white supremacy. As the civil rights movement gained power and hit the streets, it was evident this could be the only time where the Klan effectively combated and put a stop to the black
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, made up of former Confederate officers who idealized an antebellum Southern heritage, became folk heroes by terrorizing outsiders who challenged race relations by assisting blacks. Catholics, foreigners, former slaves, and their sympathizers were targeted for wanting to push reforms that went against the Southern way of life. As one historian points out, the KKK gained sympathy because they were seen as defenders and policemen of the people who protected the prevailing values of society, including Protestantism, whiteness, and genteel southern culture (Kinshasa 15). The KKK and its sister organizations were even sponsored by state governments, such as Kentucky and Mississippi, as a police force to maintain the status quo (Parsons 160). The presence of the Klan and other forms of white resistance offered white residents a form of security during this uncertain time period.
The Ku Klux Klan was not seen in Colorado in 1920’s but by 1925 the Klan members and sponsored candidates controlled the Colorado State House and Senate. Ultimately, Colorado lawmakers managed to prevent the Klan’s legislative agenda from passing. Ku Klux Klan dominated much of Colorado politics during the mid-1920’s. After the general election of 1924, the governor, Clarence Morley, was a Klansman, taking his orders from Dr. John Galen Locke, the Grand Dragon of the Colorado Realm [4].
The 1920s, and all of the events that accompanied it, provoked the KKK to rise up once again. This revitalized Klan is often referred to as the second wave of the Klan.5 It was established in 1915 by William J. Simmons. Simmons, a minister, claimed that he had been given a vision by God. In this vision, God told him to gather white, native-born Protestant men in battle against forces of evil and immorality that were consuming the nation.6 So, Simmons gathered 33 men, climbed to the top of Stone Mountain in Georgia, and set a cross on fire, signifying the beginning of a movement.7 While the first Klan had just been a phenomenon, the 1920s Klan was a legitimate organization, with over 6 million members joining in between 1920 and
Following Reconstruction, southern governments implemented Jim Crow laws, which mandated racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. These laws, which were passed in direct response to the progress made toward racial equality during the Reconstruction period, reinforced racism and inequality. The the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist organization, grew to popularity during this era , using violence and intimidation to prevent Black Americans from exercising their rights. The government's failure to handle these issues contributed to Reconstruction's failure. The evidence shows that the hatred from the people and the government led to the establishment of Jim Crow laws and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, both of which promoted racism and inequality.
In 1926 American society was changing rapidly through immigration and many races of people were bringing their cultures with them. A man named Hiram W. Evans was the imperial wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Evans made the argument that these new immigrants were destroying the racial definition of what an American should be. He felt that true Americans were part of the Nordic race because the early pioneers fit into this category. The Klan’s point of view was that America should stay American and maintain this Nordic race of Caucasian people.
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.
This paper will discuss the difference between the Ku Klux Klan and The Black Panther Party two extremist groups. The historical foundation of these two groups along with the comparison of their extremist activities, and the motivating factors which fueled and heighten their motivational actions. The movement of these two groups were prompted by the two different beliefs with the Ku Klux Klan motives being from racism, and the Black Panther forming for the protection of their communities from racial tension. The Ku Klux Klan was founded in Tennessee by veteran confederate soldiers lead by General Nathan Bedford in 1865 during the time of the Reconstruction Era as a result of resistance to the Republican Party’s support of the Reconstruction