The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was founded in late 1865 by six Confederate veterans in Pulaski, Tennessee, following the end of the American Civil War. The organization was initially formed as a social club but quickly turned into a violent and racist group, targeting African Americans, especially those seeking political and social equality.
The first KKK factions used tactics such as intimidation, beatings, and even murder to suppress African Americans' civil rights and their right to vote. The group aimed to maintain white supremacy and prevent African Americans from gaining any political or economic power.
By the early 1870s, the KKK had extended its activities to other southern states and had become a widespread terrorist organization. Several iterations of the KKK emerged over the years, with varying degrees of influence and intensity.
The KKK gained nationwide attention in the early 20th century when it expanded its targets beyond African Americans, also targeting immigrants, Jews, Catholics, and other minority groups. This era, between 1915 and 1944, witnessed a rise in KKK membership and popularity, as it sought to promote nativism and preserve white American culture.
During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, the KKK re-emerged once again as a hate group, employing violence, bombings, and cross burnings to intimidate and terrorize African Americans and civil rights activists. Their activity eventually led to federal intervention, prosecutions, and efforts to dismantle the organization.
Despite attempts to suppress it, the KKK still exists today, albeit in a less prominent and significantly reduced capacity. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most notorious hate groups in American history, characterized by its long history of racial violence and terror.
Founding of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) What happened? Summarize the event
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