Ku Klux Klan

The Ku Klux Klan, often called the Klan, is an American white supremacist and far-right hate group.

Historians identify it as one of the first terrorist groups in the United States. The organization used organized violence and intimidation to influence political and social conditions. Its primary goal was to advance white supremacy and maintain racial segregation. The group operated as a secret society through multiple affiliated organizations. These groups used threats, assaults, and killings to achieve their aims. Throughout its history, the Klan targeted African Americans, Jews, Catholics, and immigrants.

The first iteration of the Klan emerged during the Reconstruction era. It was founded in Pulaski, Tennessee, on December 24, 1865. Six former Confederate Army officers started the group. These men were Frank McCord, Richard Reed, John Lester, John Kennedy, J. Calvin Jones, and James Crowe. Initially, it functioned as a fraternal social club. The members used secret initiation ceremonies to baffle public curiosity and provide amusement. However, the group underwent a gradual transformation starting in April 1867. It evolved into an insurgent movement that resisted federal efforts to grant rights to formerly enslaved people.

As a secret vigilante organization, the first Klan used violence to target specific groups. They targeted Black voters, officeholders, and their white allies. They also targeted white Northern leaders and Southern sympathizers. The goal was to undermine Republican state governments and restore white Democratic control in the South. This movement relied on threats and murder to suppress political participation. In response, the federal government passed the Enforcement Acts in 1870 and 1871. These laws allowed for the prosecution and suppression of Klan crimes. This federal action helped restore order and enabled Black citizens to exercise their rights.

A second Klan was founded in 1915 on Stone Mountain, Georgia. William Joseph Simmons established this new version of the organization. He drew inspiration from the film *The Birth of a Nation*.

This film influenced the imagery used by the group. The second Klan introduced the use of white costumes and burning crosses. It also utilized mass parades as a hallmark of its presence.

This version of the Klan was much larger and more organized than the first. It spread beyond the South to attract millions of members from the native-born white Protestant population.

The second Klan operated using a modern business system. It relied on full-time, paid recruiters to expand its membership. Publicity was managed by the Southern Publicity Association, owned by Edward Young Clarke and Mary Elizabeth Tyler. They created a Propagation Department to recruit members in exchange for a percentage of the $10 initiation fee.

At its peak in the mid-1920s, membership was estimated between three and eight million people. Some reports claimed the group accepted 3,500 new members every day. The organization promoted "100 percent Americanism," which included nativism and anti-Catholicism. It also opposed Jews, immigrants, and civil rights reforms.

Internal issues eventually led to a sharp decline in the second Klan's power. In 1923, Hiram Wesley Evans ousted Simmons as the leader. Two separate national organizations existed for a time. One was led by Evans in the South, and another was led by D. C. Stephenson in the Midwest.

Criminal behavior by leaders contributed to the group's downfall. For example, Stephenson was convicted for the abduction, rape, and murder of Madge Oberholtzer. By 1930, membership in the main group had fallen to approximately 30,000. The organization eventually faded away during the 1940s.

A third wave of the Klan arose during the mid-20th century. This wave appeared in response to the civil rights movement. These groups were smaller than the previous iterations. However, they still carried out acts of racial terror. Their goal was to resist desegregation and racial equality.

Throughout all three stages, the Klan shared core ideologies of white supremacy and hostility toward outsiders. Major Christian denominations have formally condemned the Klan. They stated that its ideology is incompatible with Christian theology. Modern scholars study the Klan to understand its role in systematic racial oppression and domestic terrorism.