Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, author, and orator. He escaped from slavery in 1838 and made a life in America. After his escape, he wrote autobiographies that gave people a vivid idea of the life of an African slave. The books were a great success, even in other countries. People were curious to know about slavery and what happened behind closed doors. Frederick Douglass visited other countries and lectured in many churches, and later returned to America. He endorsed presidential candidates and was very outspoken and urged presidents to do the right thing. He was a huge part of many different events that occured in America. The event that caught my attention the most was in 1868, when Douglass endorsed Ulysses S. Grant, who won the presidency. Douglass praised him for signing the Klan Act and the second and third Enforcement Acts. These turned into laws, and Grant sent troops into states. Five thousand people were arrested for being involved in the Ku Klux Klan, and the secret organization took a huge blow. Learning about this event made me more curious about the Ku Klux Klan and brought me to the question, "What was the Ku Klux Klan really about?"
http://www.frederickdouglass.org/douglass_bio.html
Ku Klux Klan, also known as "the Clan" or "KKK", is the name of a far right, extremist organization in the United States. They have advocated for white supremacy, anti-immigration, and "white power". They mostly expressed their strong feelings through terrorism and are sometimes known as "hate groups". The first Klan was established in Tennessee in 1865 by veterans of the Confederate Army. After this group was established, many other organizations of different names rose up in the south. The Klan's main target was freedmen and any allies they had. They wanted to restore white supremacy and stopped at nothing to prove a point. There is no one "Ku Klux Klan"; at one point, there were hundreds of Klans.
One Klan was established in Georgia in 1915, and they were very organized, much like a fraternity. There were dues and initiations involved. They wanted "one hundred percent Americanism" and better enforcement of prohibition. Nativism was a huge belief, along with anti-Catholicism. What most people do not realize is that blacks weren't the Klan's only enemy; Jews, Catholics, and immigrants were also huge targets. Most violence was done overnight, and the group entered into people's private homes and attacked. Members adopted white robes, masks, and pointed hats as their uniforms. The goal was to appear terrifying and to keep their identities a complete secret. They had secret code words used during rituals. Although the Klans tried to establish a national "office", the Klan never operated under one single structure. Each Klan was very independent.
Below is an interesting video to help you learn more about the Ku Klux Klan!
The Ku Klux members were people of different backgrounds and occupations who shared the same type of beliefs. Some members include poor white farmers, illegal whiskey sellers, common thieves, neighbors, and educated working white men. The Klan spread into every southern state, and lashed out against Republican leaders, both black and white. These groups killed without a second thought, and burned crosses in black and white men's yards who weren't financially supporting their families or men who beat their wives. Although there are no official membership rosters, it is believed that during the Ku Klux Klan's peak, almost forty percent of white men were members. The Ku Klux Klan started to dissolve when Ulysses S. Grant signed the Klan Act. The Klan never completely dissolved, and there are still many radical organizations in our world today.
