Formation of the Ku Klux Klan in 1865

Name: Formation of the Ku Klux Klan in 1865
Start: 1865-12-24
Location: Unspecified

The Birth of the Ku Klux Klan

Confederate Veterans and the KKK

In 1865, a group of Confederate veterans gathered in Pulaski, Tennessee, to form what would become the Ku Klux Klan. This organization emerged from the ashes of the Civil War as a social club that quickly morphed into a violent secret society. The group's primary objective was to resist Reconstruction efforts and maintain white supremacy in the Southern United States.

The Motives Behind the Klan

The founding members of the Klan were motivated by a desire to restore their previous social order after the war. They used terror and intimidation against African Americans and their white allies in an attempt to undermine the newly acquired rights of freed slaves. The Klan's early activities included harassment, violence, and murder, aimed at re-establishing a regime of white dominance.

The Klan's Influence and Methods

Methods of Intimidation and Control

As the Klan expanded, it deployed a range of tactics to instill fear in the black community and to limit their political engagement. This included wearing white robes and hoods, acting as faceless agents of terror. The Klan wrote ominous letters, organized nighttime raids, and even conducted lynchings to assert control over African Americans.

Klan's Evolution Over Time

Initially, the Klan started as a local group but soon gained a national presence, despite being disbanded during the 1870s due to government opposition. It re-emerged in the early 1900s and continued to evolve, shaping its ideology around various social movements and issues over time.

Fun Fact

A Hidden Identity

The name "Ku Klux Klan" comes from the Greek word "kyklos," meaning circle, paired with the English word "clan." This name reflected their intention of promoting a secretive brotherhood among its members.