Ku Klux Klan

The report of a Ku Klux Klan rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday, July 8, prompted me to reflect on the oldest and most infamous hate group in this country.

The KKK was founded in 1866 in response to the reconstruction era policies following the Civil War.  It soon became the foremost group to terrorize black citizens and former slaves, as well as the Republican Party’s policies and the men who worked to implement them.[1]

The organization largely disbanded following Reconstruction (and the implementation of Jim Crow laws, designed to suppress Black Americans’ rights).  The group experienced a resurgence in popularity in the 1920’s, many say corresponding to the release of the first blockbuster movie, Birth of a Nation.[2]  By 1925, the Klan claimed as many as 4 million members.[3]

The Klan is famous for using its white hoods (often to hide the identity of the wearer) and burning crosses to intimidate its victims:  blacks, Jews, Catholics and immigrants.  Lynchings and tar and feathering were common tactics.  During the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s, a new revival of interest in the KKK occurred, with a corresponding rise in terrorism against its targets, which included the bombing of the 16^th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four young girls who were preparing for Sunday services.[4]

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) estimates that today there are between 5,000 and 8,000 Klan members nationwide, split between many factions.[5]

It is hard to tell if the KKK is gaining membership or becoming more open and active in 2017, but any demonstration or act of intimidation by this group must be strongly condemned.

So, the bad news is that 50 members of the KKK felt empowered enough to protest in Charlottesville Virginia on July 8, 2017.

The good news is, that hundreds, maybe upwards of 1000, counter-protesters met them on the street and took a stand against hatred.[6]

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[1] http://www.history.com/topics/ku-klux-klan

[2] http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_birth.html

[3] https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/ku-klux-klan

[4] See splcenter quote, above.

[5] http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-kkk-today/

[6] Yes, there was some violence between the counter-protesters and the Klansmen, but it was difficult for me to tell from the news reports which side was the instigator of those acts.  Acts of violence in the name of Peace and Justice is certainly troubling.