The Facts About KKK

KKK stands for Ku Klux Klan, a terrorist group that first appeared in 1865. The mysterious name of the group comes from the Greek word “kyklos” (circle) and the Scottish word “clan,” which literary means children but represents “network” here. 

From the beginning, the group showed up excessive violence. They are right-wing terrorists who target people from Jews, Muslims, Catholics, African Americans, and Asian Americans. They also target leftists, abortion supporters, and Atheists.

The Klan has shown extremist behavior throughout all the three eras they have existed. It shows up in their reactionary such as white nationalism and anti-immigration. The other reactionaries full of extremism are Nordicism, Anti -Catholicism, Prohibition, Anti-Communism, Anti-Atheism, anti -progressivism, and islamophobia. 

The first Klan: 

The first time foundation of the Klan was a secret activity. The activists are still unknown, but the group appeared after its underpinning by the hands of the secret society. 

The first Klan appeared against black people in Southern America. It used terrorism against black people and their allies in the 1960s. The first active force of the KKK was Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was a former Confederate General. This group was established as the critical organization of the reconstruction era. It was a well-organized group that spread in southern America.   

The Costumes of Klans:

The Klans used voter intimidation, and their leaders wore bright-colored robes, masks, and hats. They were these specially designed costumes to have a terrifying impact on others and to hide their identification.  

The raids of the Klans:

Klans targeted countries where different races were in equal proportions. It targeted white Republicans and African Americans, deprived them of their property, and assaulted them. They even murdered the people to achieve their goals and maintain a pressurizing position to convert the election’s results in their favor. 

Suppressing the KKK:

The law and enforcement agencies in the United States tried to subdue and crush this group. Klans attempted to conquer the government of South America through violence against African American leaders in 1871. 

In Southern states, Republic groups organized militia to overcome the Klan group. Meanwhile, nine South Carolina countries went through martial law dealing with this violent solid force, and authorities arrested many activists. The Ku Klux Klan retreated after the strict actions, but in 1982, Supreme Court made some declarations that supported the violent group.  

The Revival of KKK:

The second decade of the 20th century ended with the revival of the Ku Klux Klan. The movement started in 1915 that peaked after 1920. It seemed to follow the course presented by the movie “The Birth of a Nation” by D.W. Griffith in 1915. This time, Klan had a solid organizational structure and roadmap. In addition, it prioritized the supremacy of white people and supported public education. It showed up violence against Jews and Catholic Church. 

Financial System of KKK: 

Since the second Klan had a solid organizational culture, it established a financial system to run its activities. It had initiation fees and sold costumes to members.  

The second Klan lasted till 1930. 

The Third Klan:

The third Klan emerged in the form of many isolated groups. It emerged during the 1950s, and it is the most recent wave. It used the exact KKK words. Even though the main focus was opposing the civil rights wave, the attitude of this movement was violent in the same way as the first and second waves. In addition, they spread fear by murdering and suppressing their opponents. 

Hate Group:

The Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center classified KKK as a hate group. The 2016 calculation by Anti-Defamation League sorted 3000 total members of the group. In addition, the Southern Poverty Law Center sorted about 6000 total members. 

Activities of the Klan:

The activists of the Klan wore masks and robes and chose the nighttime for hostile activities and attacks. The violent actions started in rural areas, and people called attackers “knight riders.” The targets were often Black members of Loyal Leagues. Freedom Bureau workers were also on their radars. 

The most shameful aspect of their activities was that they took the heads of Black politicians and their families when they murdered them. Moreover, they also did the same shameful act with the leaders of churches and all those performing a significant role in society. 

The Loyal League soon became a target of the KKK. They murdered their leaders ruthlessly. The crucial activities were speedily performed and every week ended with the murder of leaders of their opponents. 

In South Carolina, 197 murders were reported by June 1867. The violent attitude remained the same in all Klan groups. 

Participation of Women in KKK:

In 1920, KKK included women in the organization as an auxiliary force. The duties of women were to promote Prohibition and liquor’s impact on families. They distributed Bibles in schools and stressed the exclusion of Catholic staff from schools. Meanwhile, their effort resulted in the neglect of Catholics for teaching positions by Texas State. 

Politics of Klan:

The second wave Klan was influential in politics. They reached both political powers, Republicans and Democrats. Also, they got access to the people who were a solid political force without being a part of political groups. They soon reached positions in every state. They were most active in the South and Midwest. Their members exceeded four million when their politics were at their peak. The Klan group tried to grow its roots in Canada. 

The decline of KKK:

Many faults in leadership caused the decline of the Klan group. However, the actual reason for the Klan’s decline was the achievement of important goals. The whites got supremacy in the South during the 1970s. As the Klan was Anti-black, its objectives no more existed. 

Bottom line:

The first Klan and their two revival movements were a sign of terror and inhuman behavior. They had secret connections with authorities that helped them achieve their goals, although their legal position was a question mark in democratic societies. Furthermore, the effects of the Klan movement were long-lasting, and the organization conducted more than expected. 

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