The Ku Klux Klan: Secret Terrorist Organization

The Ku Klux Klan is known to be a secret terrorist organization which originated in the southern states which had emerged during the Reconstruction era on December 24, 1865 shortly after the end of the Civil War. The original Klan was established in Pulaski Tennessee. This Klan had begun by six ex-Confederate army soldiers and other Southerners. Their society was given a game by the Greek word kuklos which meant circle. The Klan would refer to themselves as the Invisible Empire of the South. They would perform various amounts are violent acts to people who opposed their believes.

This terrorist group participated in many violent acts. Some of these acts were the destruction of property, assault, and murder. These act were taken upon African Americans, but more specifically to those African Americans in the South who were running for office. However, African Americans were not the only ones who suffered from these violent act. Others such as white Republicans and those who sympathized African Americans were attacked by the Klan. These sympathizers were known as carpetbaggers and scalawags. Additionally, during elections the Klan would often kill or threaten Republican candidates. This way the democrats would win the election because the Republican candidates would be either dead or afraid. The candidates would not be able to gain any votes if they are living in fear.. Also, the Klan was against African Americans having economic empowerment and were against white people purchasing cotton from black farmers. Those who did would be threatened, beaten, and killed. The Klan would destruct and terrorize black churches, as well as schools for African Americans.

When the Klan carried out these horrible, violent acts they would wear an undercover disguise. This disguise included a long white robe and a hood. The Klan would wear the robes and hoods to have an appearance of a ghost and at times they would claim to be the ghost of dead Confederate soldiers from the Civil War. The KKK would use those disguises to hide their identities when they took action in violent acts such as, harassment, or murder.

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