Research Paper Article 1

KU KLUX KLAN

• may 1866, Pulaski Tennessee- First branch of KKK established
• April 1867- in Nashville, an organization of local Klans was established
• Nathan Forrest, a great general in the confederate army was the first White Wizard
• members of the Klan wore masks, white cardboard hats and draped themselves in sheets
• The main objective at first was just to stop African Americans from voting
• The Klan was reformed in 1915 by William J. Simmons, a preacher
• The NAACP was the main opponent of the KKK
• The Klan became very hostile towards Jews, Roman Catholics, socialists, communists and anyone they called foreigners after World War One
• Hiram W. Evans became the Klan's Imperial Wizard in November 1922
• Klan grew rapidly under his Evans' leadership
• Klansmen were elected to political positions in the 1920's
• 1925 membership reached 4,000,000
• After the conviction of Klan leader David C. Stephenson membership dropped to 30,000
• In 1944 the KKK disbanded
• In 1950 the Civil Rights Movement caused a resurgence of the KKK
• Most important were the White Nights led by Robert Shelton
• Freedom schools were established in 1964 to try and end political struggle of African Americans
• The summer of the Freedom Schools students attending them were targets of white mobs
• 30 black homes, and 37 black churches were firebombed, over 80 volunteers were beaten and 3 men were killed
• 
  
• Spartacus Educational. 15 Mar. 2009.<http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkkk.htm>.