Actions & Goals
"Between 1868 and 1872, the main threat to southern Republican regimes came from the Ku Klux Klan and other secret societies bent on restoring white supremacy by intimidating blacks who sought to exercise their political rights (Divine)." The KKK took many violent actions in attempt to achieve white supremacy. They believed others were not as superior as their race and did not deserve the same rights and equality. In order to keep them from getting this equality, KKK members turned to killing, lynching, robbery, and abuse. The Ku Klux Klan not only took action against the blacks, but they intimidated and threatened politicians who voted for the rights of African Americans. These methods were used in 1868 elections and were proven effective and the goal was to intimidate the politicians enough that they hurt the Republican party and Democrats gained control in many states. "They broke my door open, took me out of bed, took me to the woods and shipped me three hours or more and left me for dead. They said to me, 'Do you think you will vote for another damned radical ticket? (Divine)."
From 1870 - 1874 the government tried to use military force to fight the Klan and keep them from terrorizing African Americans and government officials, but finally the last use of troops to for intervention was in 1876, due to the northern electorate, the president had to stop intervening with military force against the KKK. President Grant was known to be inconsistent in using his power in this issue between the KKK and the countries elections. "By 1870, the Ku Klux Klan had branches in nearly every southern state. Even at its height, the Klan did not boast a well-organized structure or clear leadership. Local Klan members–often wearing masks and dressed in the organization's signature long white robes and hoods–usually carried out their attacks at night, acting on their own but in support of the common goals of defeating Radical Reconstruction and restoring white supremacy in the South (Ku Klux Klan)." By 1876, due to KKK actions the goal of making the south Democratic dominate had prevailed.
1915 brought a resurgence of KKK activity that started in Atlanta, GA. This occurred on Stone Mountain where men came together because they were upset that African Americans, Jews, and Catholics had taken good paying jobs. This reawakened the KKK across America, and instigated crimes against blacks, Catholics and Jews. "Many whites felt the blacks were thinking they had too much power and wanted to put them back in their place (1920s- The Klan Rises Again)." By the early 1920's the Klan had over 4 million members and they did the same parades and cross burnings that they were known for to intimidate and threaten.
14.5/15
From 1870 - 1874 the government tried to use military force to fight the Klan and keep them from terrorizing African Americans and government officials, but finally the last use of troops to for intervention was in 1876, due to the northern electorate, the president had to stop intervening with military force against the KKK. President Grant was known to be inconsistent in using his power in this issue between the KKK and the countries elections. "By 1870, the Ku Klux Klan had branches in nearly every southern state. Even at its height, the Klan did not boast a well-organized structure or clear leadership. Local Klan members–often wearing masks and dressed in the organization's signature long white robes and hoods–usually carried out their attacks at night, acting on their own but in support of the common goals of defeating Radical Reconstruction and restoring white supremacy in the South (Ku Klux Klan)." By 1876, due to KKK actions the goal of making the south Democratic dominate had prevailed.
1915 brought a resurgence of KKK activity that started in Atlanta, GA. This occurred on Stone Mountain where men came together because they were upset that African Americans, Jews, and Catholics had taken good paying jobs. This reawakened the KKK across America, and instigated crimes against blacks, Catholics and Jews. "Many whites felt the blacks were thinking they had too much power and wanted to put them back in their place (1920s- The Klan Rises Again)." By the early 1920's the Klan had over 4 million members and they did the same parades and cross burnings that they were known for to intimidate and threaten.
14.5/15