The Kkk
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- Category: History: American
- Date Submitted: 03/01/2011 09:30 AM
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To What Extent Did the Ku Klux Klan Manage to Hinder the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s?
What is the Ku Klux Klan?
The Ku Klux Klan, or KKK for short, is a very right wing extremist white supremacy group. It was originally founded in 1865, but it has been re-created three times since then. The first clan was formed in 1865 on Christmas Eve, in Pulaski Tennessee by six well educated middle class federate veterans. It was just after the end of the civil war and the main purpose was just to intimidate blacks and regain white supremacy. the name was constructed by taking the greek word “kyklos” meaning circle and adding clan, they later changed it to klan for abbreviation purposes.
The KKK soon spread into nearly every state, launching a reign of terror against republican leaders both black and white. In 1867 they tried to introduce a hierarchy in which local chapters would report to county leaders, counties to districts, districts to states and states reporting to a national headquarters. The proposals were written by a man called George Gordon. It included a list of the goals of the klan and a list of questions to be asked of applicants for membership, which confirmed the focus on resisting reconstruction and the republican party. He wanted the applicants to be asked if they were a republican, a Union army veteran, or a member of the Loyal League. He would also be asked if he was opposed to black equality both social and political and whether he was in favour of a white man’s government. Despite all the work put towards this proposal, it was never accepted by any local units. They continued to act almost separately and there never were county, district or state headquarters. Gordon went to former slave trader Nathan Bedford Forrest and told him about the Klan, According to one report Forrest replied “that’s a good thing, that’s a damn good thing. We can use that to keep the Negros in their place.” A few weeks later, Forrest was selected...
What is the Ku Klux Klan?
The Ku Klux Klan, or KKK for short, is a very right wing extremist white supremacy group. It was originally founded in 1865, but it has been re-created three times since then. The first clan was formed in 1865 on Christmas Eve, in Pulaski Tennessee by six well educated middle class federate veterans. It was just after the end of the civil war and the main purpose was just to intimidate blacks and regain white supremacy. the name was constructed by taking the greek word “kyklos” meaning circle and adding clan, they later changed it to klan for abbreviation purposes.
The KKK soon spread into nearly every state, launching a reign of terror against republican leaders both black and white. In 1867 they tried to introduce a hierarchy in which local chapters would report to county leaders, counties to districts, districts to states and states reporting to a national headquarters. The proposals were written by a man called George Gordon. It included a list of the goals of the klan and a list of questions to be asked of applicants for membership, which confirmed the focus on resisting reconstruction and the republican party. He wanted the applicants to be asked if they were a republican, a Union army veteran, or a member of the Loyal League. He would also be asked if he was opposed to black equality both social and political and whether he was in favour of a white man’s government. Despite all the work put towards this proposal, it was never accepted by any local units. They continued to act almost separately and there never were county, district or state headquarters. Gordon went to former slave trader Nathan Bedford Forrest and told him about the Klan, According to one report Forrest replied “that’s a good thing, that’s a damn good thing. We can use that to keep the Negros in their place.” A few weeks later, Forrest was selected...