Provenance of the KKK

1. Provenance of the KKK

2. Birth of the Klan • The KKK was first founded in 1865 in Pulaski,Tennessee. • At first it was just a social club for former confederate soldiers and was seen as a social fraternity such as a college fraternity but purely for the source of torture to minorities. • The term Ku Klux Klan originated from the term “kyklos” which means circle. • The KKK evolved into a terrorist organization. They would ride in the night in their costumes taking a supernatural aspect to frighten newly freed slaves. • Lead to a meeting in April 1867 to summarize the rules and organizational structure.

3. The Five Symbols of the Klan • The Flag-According to the Klan, the blood drop represents the blood shed by Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for the White Aryan Race. • The Bible-It is a constant reminder of the tenets of the Christian religion, and is a Klansman's law of life. "I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God" that you follow its teachings. • The Cross-The cross is a symbol of sacrifice and service, and a sign of the Christian religion. The fire signifies that "Christ is the light of the world." • The Sword- unsheathed sword of steel is a symbol of law enforcement and is a constant reminder of our obligation to defend our country and enforce its laws • The Water- is a symbol of the purity of life and the unity of purpose

4. Is That A Dress? • The Klan wears a robe and a mask for two important reasons. The robe represents the equality in the group • The robe signifies that we do not judge men by the clothes they wear, and to filter the difference in our clothing as well as our personality. • There is no such thing as rich and poor or high and low-just equal. • The hood helps conceal and prevent publicity of the group. • They see themselves as a great secret service organization that aid the officers of the law. The KKK also believe it is unselfish of them. • The Klan had many variations of the uniform as well.

6. The Original Boyz N’ the Hood • No group in the history of America excelled at intimidation like the Ku Klux Klan. • The Klan is nothing more than an extension of slave patrols in a different time era. All they did was change their name and put on costume but still oppressed those of different racial descent • It is notorious for violent attacks on opponents including African-Americans, non-heterosexual people, people of non-conservative Protestant faiths, immigrants, women seeking equal rights and their supporters. • Klan was able to operate outside the law because most of its members were the law

7. Starting from day One (1865-1872) • The Klan was founded in 1865 Pulaski,Tennessee • Klan had evolved into a hooded terrorist organization that its members called "The Invisible Empire of the South." • The first riot between black and white ex-soldiers occurred in 1866 Memphis Tennessee over an argument. White police helped the KKK riot through black sections of the town. • Presidential election of 1868 was coming up and KKK knew that because given the chance, black people would vote republican. This lead to immediate brutality to scare off the voters • Ulysses S. Grant won the office with the slogan, "Let Us Have Peace." • Many Northerners disgusted by the violence in the south supported the Fifteenth Amendment and the First Reconstruction act of 1867 • In 1871 Congress also passed the Ku Klux Klan Act, which allowed the government to act against terrorist organizations

8. Nathan Bedford Forrest • Nathan Bedford Forrest-went by Bedford-was was a well knownconfederate commander in the Civil War. • He was born on July 18, 1821, in Bedford County, Tennessee. • Bedford took very good care of the slaves under his charge and did his best to keep slaves united with their families which most masters would not even think of doing. • Forrest is recognized to have been a Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. He did not support lynching by KKK members and believed that the Klan was a noble and honorable group. • As the Klan continued Bedford realized the violence was becoming too much so he called for the Klan to be disbanded.

9. Revival Of The Klan (1915-1920) • The Klan started to become a fading memory by the 20th century but recollection of the KKK were tainted by popular literature and seen as a “heroic force” fueling the Klan’s revival • On 1915 Thanksgiving eve, 16 men gathered on a mountain and as night fell a cross was ignited and the Klan was reborn. This was lead by William Joseph Simmons • The film The Birth of a Nationwas released-praising the first Klan- created a Klan craze • Not only was it now anti-black but Jews, Catholics, and immigrants to it’s hate list • Within 15 months Klan has gotten over 1000 members • By 1922 there were over 3,000,000 KKK members

10. Down, Down, Down (Late 1920’s) • In 1924 Indiana Republican Election, Stephenson basically handpicked every candidate and they were all his puppets • On March 1925, D.C Stephenson raped Oberholtzer (a woman) and he did not only rape her but chewed her like a cannibal “I’ll have the law on you!” Oberholtzer exclaimed. Stephenson replied “I am the law!” • His abuse led to her suicide attempt and eventual death, so charged with murder and life in prison. Stephenson knew the judge would let it go but the KKK were so ashamed of his actions they still prosecuted him • Everyone turning their back to Stephenson resulted in him make a harsh decision. He exposed every Republican which shamed all KKK not only in Indiana, but nation wide

11. Extinction of the KKK • “The Great Depression in the 1930s depleted the Klan's membership ranks, and the organization temporarily disbanded in 1944. The civil rights movement of the 1960s saw a surge of local Klan activity across the South, including the bombings, beatings and shootings of black and white activists. These actions, carried out in secret but apparently the work of local Klansmen, outraged the nation and helped win support for the civil rights cause.” (History) • Another major event that effected the downfall of the KKK was the lynching of Michael Donald

12. Women's Ku Klux Klan (WKKK) • The first appearance of the WKKK began in the mid-1860s. Although women were not participating members, they were often used as a symbol of racial and sexual supremacy protected by the men of the KKK. • The second attempt of the WKKK occurred in the early 1920s. Like the Klan, they were anti-Jewish, anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant, and anti-black although they were not as violent as their male counterpart. • Women played a minor role during the third wave which appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970’s. Women no longer played a prominent role in the KKK at this time. • It reached to about 500,00 women

13. Connection to Fried Green Tomatoes • This book is written around about several of the secondary characters being Klan members, you will see segregation enforced by the Klan, and you will begin to see the similarities between the real KKK and the KKK in whistle Stop Similarities Original KKK KKK in Fried Green Tomatoes • When The KKK blew up Jasper’s neighborhood • When the KKK threatened to shoot Big George if he entered the zoo • When the KKK heard they were selling food from the back of the Café to black people, they went to put a stop to it Differences Fannie Flagg does a great job showing the similarities and portraying the KKK in the book exactly how they are portrayed in history. So the differences are very minor