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Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Ku Klux Klan =Kyklos Clan (Circle). The outfit comes from ancient European rituals meaning fraternal brotherhood and anonymity in doing good works. Purple --- Imperial Wizard Green --- Grand Dragon Reddish--- purple --- Great Titan Black --- Knighthawk (security)
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Ku Klux Klan =Kyklos Clan (Circle) The outfit comes from ancient European rituals meaning fraternal brotherhood and anonymity in doing good works • Purple --- Imperial Wizard • Green --- Grand Dragon • Reddish--- purple --- Great Titan • Black --- Knighthawk (security) • Red --- Kleagle (recruitment) Imperial Klan's of America Knights of the Ku Klux Klan Knights of the White Camellia
In the Beginning • 6 middle-class Veterans of the Confederate Army founded the Ku Klux Klan. - in Pulaski, Tennessee • December 24, 1865: Ku Klux Klan established. • created fear in the minds of many Americans for well over a century • they participated in innocent pranks which were later transformed into violent crimes
What Was the Ku Klux Klan? • The KKK believed they were superior to all non-whites; • They often expressed their beliefs by putting burning crosses in front of non-white homes, • setting homes and businesses on fire, and even hanging non-whites.
Nathan Bedford Forrest • Nominated as the “Grand Wizard” which was the Klan’s national leader • 1867 Meeting to compose a formal membership of the KKK. • Forrest is quoted by George Gordon as stating “…that’s a damn good thing. We can keep them niggers in their place”
What Did They Do? • Dressed in white robes or sheets with pointed hoods • Targeted people such as blacks
“Violence” of the Ku Klux Klan Bombings Shootings Floggings Beating and sexual assaults Lynching Whippings Murders Tar and feathering
Troubled Times • It was not long before the Klan became attacked • In 1869, Nathan forest, the imperial wizard ordered for the clan to disband • This was a scam
The Rebirth • Sparked by two major events: • The immigration of 23 million people to the united states during world war I • Black Americans wearing the united states military uniform • William Simmons led the rebirth • 1915 • Burning cross
William J. Simmons • Elected in 1915 at meeting on Stone Mountain. • Sought to form a fraternal organization. • Based on comprehensive Americanism. • Recruited post WWI and patronized conflicts occurring in U.S. • “Now let the Niggers, Catholics, Jews and others who disdain my wizardry, come out.”
The New Klan • Did not resemble the original Klan at all • Main goal was to make a profit • Republican & Semi-Democratic • Slow start • Edward Clark and Elizabeth Tyler changed that • By 1921, Klan's enrollment equaled 100,000 • Each paying ten dollars • Targeted not only blacks • Asians, Jews, Catholics, communists, immigrants • pre-marital sex offenders and bootleggers
Continuing to Grow • 1921 • People began to fight back • Simmons was tried in the court of law • Denied all ties to the Klan • Bad publicity turned out good for the Klan • William Simmons • "It wasn’t until the newspapers began to attack the that it really grew. Certain newspapers also aided us by inducing congress to investigate us. The result was that congress gave us the best advertising we ever got. Congress made us."
New Leader • Hiram Evans dethroned Simmons and eventually became imperial wizard in 1928 • Simmons tried to fight back • Accepted cash settlement in the end • New goal • To defend the morals of the nation • Violent crimes increased • Was clearly exposed to the public
Klan Was Going Good • By 1924 there were two million members with new members secretly enrolling every day • Woman were now targeted by the Klan • The Klan influenced the election of 1924 • Calvin Coolidge won • Strict immigration laws • Everything was going right for the Klan
More Bad News • 1926 only brought bad news for the Ku Klux Klan • The enrollment was declining • Counterattacks by the press • Attacked by clergy and the politicians • By 1930 the only place that the Klan had a presence was in Florida • But their presence was also brought to a halt; Florida made laws that unmasked the members
One Last Try • James A. Colescott replaced Evans • In 1944, the internal revenue service filed a lien against the Klan • "We had to sell our assets and hand over the proceeds to the government and go out of business...Maybe the government can make something of us--i never could!"
Acts That Followed • 1964, as the civil rights act was passed the and some Klan’s people resorted to the old acts performed by the Klan • Included bombings, whippings, and shootings in mostly southern communities • President Johnson publicly denounced the terrorist group • Again the Klan again faded into history.
The Klan Today • Many splinter groups • Sometimes allied with neo-nazi and other right-wing extremist groups • Enrollment will never reach the height that it once did
The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan • Most popular splinter group • Founded in 1956 in Louisiana by David duke • David duke was elected as state representative and later received 700,000 votes for governor
Hate Crimes of the KKK • Lynching • 1915 the Lynching of Leo Frank • March 20, 1981 lynching of Michael Donald
Hate Crimes of the KKK • Bombings • Alabama Church: • September 15, 1963 • 4 girls killed and 22 adults injured • Recent findings • May 17, 2000: clarifications on Church bombing • FBI aware of bombings
Hate Crimes of the Ku Klux Klan • In 1977 Joseph Paul Franklin (Former KKK member & serial killer ) was indicted for bombing a synagogue in Chattanooga, Tenneessee. • He called it a “synagogue of Satin”
Hate Crimes of the KKK • In 1951 the Ku Klux Klan bombed Harry T. Moore’s home. (school teacher & State Director of NAACP) • 40 years later the FBI & KKK conspired with local authorities to carry out the bombing
The Knight Viewpoints • The major goals of the knights was and still is political power • The viewpoints of the knight include: • “The entire reasoning behind the forming of America was to allow one place in the world where Christians could live together in harmony without any outside interference from those other religions or races.” • The only concern of the government should be for the citizens of the united states, all foreign aid should be put to an end. • All affirmative action programs should be ended, all decisions should be based on ability. • Every adult should own a weapon • Income tax should be the only tax • Abortion is murder • Homosexuality is wrong • Welfare should be for people who cannot work for a limited time