Ku+Klux+Klan



The Ku Klux Klan, otherwise known as the KKK or the Klan, was founded in May of 1866. It originated out of Pulaski, Tennesse, and spread throughout the southern United States. It began as a secret vigilante group. In other words, the Ku Klux Klan harshly punished the people that they were against. These people were mostly African Americans, because the KKK is based on white supremacy. They are anti-communist (far right-wing side of politics), anti-immigration, and believe in white nationalism. This is a hate group, and in more recent years is has been labeled terrorist. They express their beliefs through terror and torture, wearing white robes with white masks and white cone hats to hide their identity and appear menacing. The leader is called the Imperial Wizard. This group is comprised of exclusively white protestant males. Also, they supported prohibition. They believe in purifying the American race to preserve "perfection". There were auxillary groups, like branches of the KKK, one which included women. This was known simply as the Women's Ku Klux Klan (WKKK), and any white protestant female over the age of 16 could join. They were not as vicious as the KKK, who practiced guerilla warfare on a smaller scale in the country right next door to us. There were three different waves to the Ku Klux Klan's existence...



THE FIRST: 1866-1870s

As stated above, the Klan was founded in Tennesse, and a year later had spread throughout the state. The main objective of the KKK was to preserve white supremacy in the South, which was threatened after their defeat in the American Civil War. The six white protestant males who formed this group were veterans of the Confederate Army, and the first Imperial Wizard was Nathan Forrest, a general of the American Civil War. It is said that the Klan was divided into subgroups called dens, provinces, dominions and realms. They were led by Cyclopes, Giants, Titans, and Grand Dragons. Their name, KKK, was deprived from the Greek word 'kuklos', meaning circle. Therefore, Ku Klux Klan means 'Circle of Brothers'. They crafted their uniform out of sheets and cardboard, and began to torture African Americans along with anyone who supported them. Organizations that helped blacks and successful coloured people were targeted, which helped to uphold the superiority of caucasians. Immigrants were blamed for their opposing political party, the Radical Republicans, and targeted in order to uphold American standards. At its height, 550 000 people were members of the Klan and the number of black murders was increasing. Something had to be done. On April 20, 1871, the Force Acts were passed by the federal government. The president could now suspend the writ of Habeas Corpus (right to appear before a judge) in any state where the KKK was stirring up trouble. This was used to prosecute KKK crimes, and its enforcement led to a temporary break in Klan activity.



THE SECOND: 1915-1944

This time, the Klan was founded in Georgia by William J. Simmons. The new Imperial Wizard was Hiram W. Evans, as of November 1922. They were now a formal fraternal organization - like a secret brotherhood. This second Klan spread throughout the United States, and even into Canada (especially in Saskachewan). It grew fast under a new system, a business-like system. They would recruit people and charge them a fee for costumes/initiation. It also grew quickly because of increased immigration and expansion; something to turn to in all the tension. They called for nativism, a political term for favouring long-term inhabitants over immigrants. Also, they adopted anti-Catholicism as the religion became more widespread. The Klan preached that Americans shouldn't let others into their country and discriminated against anyone that wasn't a white supremacist, in order to uphold the standards of their founding fathers. At the peak of their existence in the 1920s, there were between 3 000 000 and 6 000 000 members of the KKK. By 1930, though, only 30 000 members remained. This is largely because of Klan leader David C. Stephenson's 2nd degree murder conviction. The Klan was rapidly deteroirating because of such extreme criminal behaviour and opposition. The main opposition to the Ku Klux Klan was the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), based in the same area where KKK action was so prominent. By 1944 it had disappeared altogether... or had it?



THE THIRD: Since 1946

The KKK emerged once again only a few years later, primarily because of the new Civil Rights Movement. They tried to suppress the right for African Americans to vote, and continued to terrorize their enemies in the more terrible of fashions. During the 50s and 60s they made friendly relations with Southern governors and cops. They worked against desegragation, but with a force of only 5 000 to 6 000, were unsuccessful. Today the Klan is still alive, and considered a "subversive or terrorist organization" in most places. It may be argued that a fourth wave actually began in the 1980s after yet another quiet period; this wave is known as the "modern wave". The most recent estimate of Klan membership ranges from 3 000 to 5 000, they are slowly dying out in a world that now thrives for equality. However, white supremacy of the KKK is still very real today.



WHAT THEY DID

They acted primarily at night, killing thousands of people (primarily African Americans) over the years. This happened especially prior to elections. They forced the public to vote democratic... or else. The Klan practiced lynching, which occurs when a group of people kills someone. The victim would usually be hung, but they were known to be burned and tortured in many other ways as well. The police would usually turn a blind eye, especially in the South, because African Americans were considered to be almost worthless. They didn't have the same rights that Caucasians did, and so they had nobody to defend them. The KKK was also associated with Nazis, and received much support from them in the late 30s because of similar beliefs. The Nazis sent funds to the Klan, and they corresponded often. This is why we see the Ku Klux Klan raising their hand to heil Hitler in many pictures.

KU KLUX KLAN BELIEFS

View the KKK Manual of 1925 here. The KKK are known for burning crosses. This was considered a sacreligious practice, but the Klan claimed they were "lighting" the cross as a symbol of their faith.



by Bronwen Pollock

BIBLIOGRAPHY @http://kkk.org/ @http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkkk.htm @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativism_(politics) @http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAlynching.htm @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching_in_the_United_States

IMAGE CREDIT @http://impiousdigest.com/Image44.jpg @http://www.greanvillepost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/KKKwedding.jpg @http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/kkk_lynch2.jpg @http://patriotdems.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/lynching-omaha-nebraska-sept-29-1919.jpg @http://www.rippdemup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/idaho-kkk-cross-burning1.jpg @http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00158/images/kkk1920'srally.jpg @http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkkk2.jpg @http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/j/Ku%20Klux%20Klan.jpg