KKK – Ku Klux Klan
The KKK (Ku Klux Klan) is the name of a once secret organization, which terrorised none white Americans and this made them a huge threat to black people. The organization was first formed by six middle class veterans in 1865 and was kept a secret.
The Ku Klux Klan was mainly based in the south of America. Here they targeted those set free after the American Civil War – the African Americans. The KKK didn’t think that the former slaves as free and terrorised Africa American families based in the South who were once slaves. During the 1920’s America suffered great economic downfall, and is one of the main reasons the Ku Klu Klux Klan formed, because of the racism mixed with the anger due to the economic crisis.
Many different groups during the 1920’s emerged, over the years. One being the blacks who emerged after the abolishment of the slavery in 1865, however at the same time, a sinister group called the KKK. Only White Anglo Saxons Protestants were allowed to join, and it is known that the KKK attacked black people, Jews, Catholics and liberals.
The KKK has existed since 1865 and the KKK during the 1920s and 1930s is known as the second Klan. This was the peak of it’s existence and is estimated that it had roughly 4,000,000 members.
The KKK began murdering black soldiers (still in military uniforms) when they were returning from World War I from 1918 onwards, in which they murdered 416 African Americans over the course of 9 years, predominantly in the south.
The KKK at first was only a harmless gang, who at began riding around in white cloaks disturbing towns and the peace. They then saw this as an advantage and later when they began accepting new members, moved and became responsible for violent crimes against other ethnic groups. Nathan Bedford Forrest was the first leader of the Klan and in the 1920’s the KKK thought that they had to compete against immigrants and other ethnic groups for jobs which then resulted in rivalry between them.
In conclusion the KKK was a very dangerous organisation during the 1920’s through to the 1930’s and often people were forced to join or leave America, if they could. More often than not people didn’t have enough money especially after the war and the economic crisis. The KKK than began committing violent crimes against other ethnic groups, and with the KKK being at its peak in the 1920’s it was difficult to retaliate. The KKK however declined during the depression in America and during World War II. Whilst the KKK is partly still around to date, it is not as fierce as it once was.
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