Member Of The Ku Klux Klan example essay topic

After the Civil War was over it was nearly impossible for many of the Southerners to go back to their lives. They no longer had slaves, their family and friends were killed, and their homes and land were destroyed. The state government no longer existed and northern soldiers were now in charge. The whites' right to vote was gone, and it instead was given to the uneducated former slaves.

Six white men met on Christmas Eve, 1865, in Pulaski, near the Alabama border of Tennessee to form a club which would help support the former Confederate soldiers after the restless days of the Civil War and to have fun. They made white ghost like costumes that covered everything but their eyes, nose, mouth and hands. They began referring to their secret organization as the 'jolly six' or the 'thespians'. They rode around the town dressed up as ghost of Confederate soldiers in order to scare the ex-slaves. The club name however, was changed to Ku Klux Klan after the Greek word 'kuklos', which means circle and the word 'clan', which means family.

Although the Klan was originally just a group of men trying to have fun, it became much more than simply just a fringe movement; it became a central part of American society. The Klan started off as a fun way for men to forget about how hard life was. After the was created, the members developed titles for the various officers, choosing the most preposterous (change word maybe?) names possible. The outrageous names were chosen for the fun of it, but also to keep the organization separate from the government and the military. Initiation ceremonies for new members were also developed.

The ceremonies were similar to hazing done in colleges and clubs. The new members were blindfolded and forced to perform silly (word choice?) acts and recite ridiculous oaths. They were then brought to the 'royal altar', which was actually a mirror, and where the 'royal crown', which was actually two donkey ears, was placed on their heads. Even though, the Klan was started by six men in Tennessee its popularity quickly spread, as more and more people learned the power that they had.

They were able to use fear to get the newly freed blacks and their supporters to act as they wanted. Places where the economic distinction between the blacks and the whites was less pronounced accepted the Klan almost immediately, fearing that the blacks might easily equate themselves with the whites. The was most active in the nine states from Tennessee and the Carolinas to Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas. Although the Klan was not common in large cities, the tidewater and costal areas, or the delta and black-belt areas, it was active in all states to some degree.

As the membership of the Ku Klux Klan began to soar the ideas and the goals of the Klan changed. The originally was only against blacks and black defenders. But they later become defenders of conservative protestant denominations. The Klan believed that the whites were the superior race; they both feared and hated Jews, Catholics, immigrants, and African Americans. The claimed to fight lawlessness and immortality such as; gambling, prostitution, homosexuality, and miscegenation. It portrayed itself as the champion of religion and morality.

The Klan's vowed goals were to protect God, country, house, womanhood, the south, but most importantly white supremacy. The increase in membership and the change in the beliefs of the Klan led also to an increase in violence. It was no longer enough to just scare the people that the Klansmen were trying to control. The common practice of dressing in costumes and riding to the homes of black families and asking for water, ceased to be enough. The riders used to be able to scare the blacks by pretending to drink several well buckets of water. But in fact they were actually pouring the water through a tube and into a bottle beneath their robe.

The Klansmen then would say that they had not had a drink since they died on the battlefield. But as time progressed, the Klan began resorting to more violent means, they began whipping, shooting, lynching, and even tar and feathering people, in order to add fear and demonstrate their power. The violence of the Klan kept many blacks out of running for political positions and out of taking certain jobs. Within a matter of years the violence of the Klan got extremely out of control.

Even many Klan members admitted that the night riding was reaching the point of too much, "anyone could put on a sheet and a mask and ride into the night to commit assault, robbery, rape, arson, or murder" (A Hundred Years of Terror) without anyone accusing people other then the Klansmen. In the beginning joining the Klan and being able to participate in these kinds of violent acts gave many people incentive to join. They wanted to be able to control the newly freed slaves and black supporters (needs different word). Others felt a sense of power from being part of the and it enabled them to blame their economic problems on someone else, such as, the African Americans (Check comas).

The pride achieved from being part of the Klan caused the membership to reach over two hundred thousand in 1922, and to increase dramatically so that the Klan was able to boast more than three million members nationwide. (Sorta awkward). With the increase in membership there was also an increase in the number of politicians who were members, and the power that they were able to give to the Because the majority of the members kept their identity secret it was hard for people to know who was and who wasn't involved. Government leaders, who appeared to be against the Klan, were in some cases actually extremely active members. Texas Senator, Earl B. Mayfield became a Klan member in 1923. Other Klansmen consisted of Board of Police commissioners, many jurors, sheriffs, and police officers, even some county judges were Klansmen.

Having members involved with the court system, the Klan was able to ensure that if violent acts were in fact committed by Klan members, they would be able to get away with them. Having political leaders proved to be an advantage for the political politicians. With the whole Klan in support of their political members, it was easy for them to get elected. The Klan always tried to gain spots in the government to help increase their power.

"At leas eight governors and a dozen US senators were elected on the strength of the Klan's backing, along with scores of local officials" (The Klan on Parade). The power of the Klan was not only demonstrated in political elections, the also influenced many governmental decisions. "Klan lobbying had been crucial in persuading Congress to pass Anti-immigration Act in 1924" (The Klan on Parade). (Can you find any info on this act... if not connect these two quotes into one) "Another favorite Klan cause was the establishment of a federal department of education, an idea that would not take hold until the 1970's.

This proposal, coupled with a move to increase teachers's al aries, was part of the Klan's campaign to fortify public education against the menace of Catholic schools" (The Klan on Parade). The Klan tried to get more teachers, higher wages, and better education for children. They did not want their children to be forced to learn from Catholics on in the presence of blacks and immigrants. Because of the seemingly good things the Klan supported, it was not uncommon for some people to look at the Klan in a higher light (change end of sentence).

The violent acts preformed by the scared numerous people, but there was not that much that could be done to stop the power of the Klan. Therefore, they counted on the government to help them. They counted on the mayors and governors along with the police. But the people could never truly be sure that they were not asking the Klansmen for protection from the Klan. Even though there was an ever present fear of punishment by the Klan, some governmental leaders tried to stop the. The governor of Texas, (Name if you have it) said that the Klansmen were "disguising themselves and violating the laws of state by inflicting punishment upon persons whom no legal complaint had been filed" (Ask Texas Governor to Curb ).

He tried to pass a law that would put the members in jail for un rightfully killing innocent people. He thought that if there were adequate reasons for the punishment of blacks then the crimes would not be nearly as outrageous. Unfortunately, the Governor of Texas had very little success in stopping the Klan. The police chief from Trenton, New Jersey similarly to the Texas governor did everything in his power to try and comfort the people. He told the people, "I do not intend to permit race war in this city and I will use every means to have the members sent to jail or prison. I will also use every method available to determine who the members of the Klan are.

In view of the fact that such organization is being considered here, I will have the police even more vigilant. If the members do commit any acts tending to race war of such disturbances, they may as well know that they will be sent to jail or shot down in cold blood if necessary" (Trenton to Fight Ku Klux). Similarly (use different word), the Mayor of Louisville (name if u have it) said that he would give "every lawful means to prevent and suppress its growth in our community" (Mayor of Louisville fights ). William G. Brownlow, the governor of Tennessee tried to gain inside information on the Klan in order to help destroy them. He planted spies in the Klan, but the Klan quickly found out. Possibly because the people who were intended to be spies were actually members, or because the people that he told about his plan were Klansmen, but it will never be certain.

One of the spies that tried to join the Klan was found hung up in a tree. Another one was stuffed into a barrel in Nashville and then thrown into the Cumberland River, where he obviously drowned. And the third spy was stripped and mutilated. The Governor of Wisconsin (name if u have it) reacted differently than the other leaders, when he received a letter signed by a large number of Milwaukee citizens urging him to use his influence to prevent the organization of the Klan in Wisconsin.

His only reply was, "I cannot engage in the presumption that the Klan will indulge in violence of crime. I must grant them the same presumption under the Constitution that is granted others" (Won't Bar Ku Klux Klan). His response showed that he was either too scared to get involved with the Klan, or that he was actually secretly a member of the Ku Klux Klan. In the beginning of 1868 the Klan began to become more and more exposed. Newspapers nationwide began printing stories about the's activities. With all of the new publicity the Reconstruction governors realized that they were facing a terrorist organization that was not going to stop until the got what they wanted.

The State Capitols and the Union Army Headquarters sent out orders to suppress the Klan. As there were more and more people trying to destroy the Klan, the different Klan dens, or groups began fighting among themselves. In Nashville, Tennessee there was a group of criminals who dressed as the Klan did, but attacked the Klan instead of the blacks. They became known as the Black Ku Klux Klan, and for several months they waged guerrilla warfare against the other Klans. The increasing attacks on the Klan by the Reconstruction State governments and the Congress caused General Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Klan leader to order the Klan to disband. The Klan disbanded in January of 1869, but that did not stop the violence, it just made the violence less organized.

In order to put a permanent end to the violence the Congress held hearings in 1971. They passed tough anti-Klan laws. The Southern whites lost their authority over the crimes of assault, robbery, and murder. Wearing masks and night riding was made extremely prohibited.

And hundreds of Klansmen were arrested. By the mid 1970's the white Southerners had control over their own government and there was no longer a need for the Klan. The Ku Klux Klan which started as a group of men trying to have fun during a hard time was much more than just a fringe movement. It turned into an organization that had great influence and destroyed the lives of many people. The Klan was able to use fear and terror to support the idea of white supremacy. But in a changing country the Klan was unable to survive.

In the beginning of the twentieth century the Klan started up again, but it will never achieve all of the power that it had, in a country where equality is preached. (in do what you want with that).