The Ku Klux Klan:The Ultimate Act to

Restore White Supremacy

Blair HoltonHistory 121

Mr. NoelNovember 28th, 2014

Explanation for the Name

The first two words, “Ku” and “Klux” came from the Greek word “kyklos”

It means circle

Obviously, the third word, “Klan” was used to finish the “k” pattern

Shortened to just “KKK” soon after the name was established

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KKK-symbol.jpg

Original Reasons

The first meeting in Pulaski, Tennessee was for a social club

Dates vary, most say either late 1865 or the summer of 1866

They were southern men against the Republican Party

Apparently, the intent of the founding members was not to be violent, but for peaceful restoration of the ways before the Civil War

Wanted to restore white supremacy and regain Democratic control

Justifications

Called themselves Christians

Would twist the words of the bible to fit the crime

Often said they were returning things to “the way God wanted them to be”

http://www.glogster.com/bigdaddy2211/glogjnfv-jednvf/g-6m2vmubloqqb5lt44l0vra0?old_view=True

Interesting Facts

The group had its own language – created many words that would only be used when referring to the KKK

Examples:Kloran– official book of Klan rituals

Grand Wizard– leader of the entire KKK

Den– local group

Klansmen– members http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/WI/WI-idx?type=div&did=WI.KlanEphem.i0004&isize=M

MembersThe group often included many notable officials

Recruited:Political leaders

Sheriffs

Criminals

The first position of Grand Wizard was appointed to, the very popular, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest http://www.nndb.com/people/

328/000102022/

Outfits Worn by Klansmen

http://www.philadelphia-reflections.com/blog/1178.htm

White masks with holes for the eyes

High, colonial, cardboard hat

Long robes

Tried to put an emphasis on who the group thought was superior by using an all white wardrobe

Notable ActionsMost took place during the second phase of Restoration

Most violent acts happened at night

It is estimated that almost 10 percent of black legislators, elected between 1867 and 1868, suffered from cruelty– seven were killed

Raided black churches and schools

Most of the time, the group mutilated blacks in front of their families

Notable Actions Continued

A 103-year-old woman was whipped, as was a completely paralyzed man.

In Georgia, Abraham Colby, an organizer and leader in the black community, was whipped for hours in front of his wife and children.

In Mississippi, Jack Dupree's throat was cut and he was disemboweled in front of his wife, who had just given birth to twins.

http://ncpedia.org/violence-group

Retaliations to the KlanIn North and South Carolina, citizens fought and threatened Klansmen

In Texas over 6,000 arrest were made by a state police unit organized by Governor Edmund Davis

In Tennessee and Arkansas, Republican officials created another police unit that not only arrested, but also made executions of Klansmen

Between late 1868 to late 1869, almost sixty cases were tried against members of the group, and half of them were convicted

The Ku Klux Klan ActPassed by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1871

Also called the “Civil Rights Act of 1871”

Gave the President the right to “suspend the writ of habeas corpus in cases of secret conspiracy.”

The president can throw away the right to go before a judge or court when arrested if they were accused for a Klan-like crime

http://mowryjournal.com/2013/03/31/portraits-ulysses-s-grant/

The End of the First Klan

The KKK only continued for almost a year after the Civil Rights Act of 1871 was passed

The Klan was actually announced to be ending around March 1869, but small dens existed until 1872

Lasted only around 5 years

http://americanhistory.unomaha.edu/module_display.php?mod_id=176&review=yes

The KKK After the 1870sThe second Ku Klux Klan formed in 1915

The third Klan arose in the 1960s

The third group is believed to still exist today

The KKK later targeted Jews, immigrants, gays and lesbians, and even Catholics

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2012/03/ku_klux_klan_in_decline_why_did_the_kkk_lose_so_many_chapters_in_2010_.html

OverviewThe KKK majorly impacted post Civil War life, not only for blacks, but also for whites

The dens used violence, intimidation, and political aspects to achieve their goals of white supremacy

Ultimately, the Klan did reach their goalthe Democrats gained control by 1876

blacks lost their rights

the white extremists only had to sacrifice one thing—slavery

Works Cited"The Civil War and Emancipation." PBS. Accessed November 19, 2014. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2967.html.

Fisher, Michael. "The Ku Klux Klan." Touchstone. 2003. Accessed November 19, 2014. http://home.wlu.edu/~lubint/touchstone/KKK-Fisher.htm.

"Ku Klux Klan -- Extremism in America." Anti-Defamation League. Accessed November 19, 2014. http://archive.adl.org/learn/ext_us/kkk/default.html.

"Ku Klux Klan." History.com. 2009. Accessed November 19, 2014. http://www.history.com/topics/ku-klux-klan.

"Ku Klux Klan." Southern Poverty Law Center. Accessed November 18, 2014. http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/ideology/ku-klux-klan.

Long, Christopher. "Ku Klux Klan." Handbook of Texas Online. Last modified on August 20, 2013.

Wormser, Richard. "The Ku Klux Klan (1866)." PBS. 2002. Accessed November 18, 2014. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_kkk.html.