Origin and History of the Ku Klux Klan Movements - Essay Example

Ku Klux Klan of the of the Introduction The Ku Klux Klan is the given to three movements in the United s ofAmerica. The Ku Klux Klan is commonly known as “the Klan”. The Klan consists of three main movements including the Ku movement, The Klux movement and the Klan movement. The Ku, Klux and Klan movements altogether led to the development of the KKK group in the year 1866. Followed by this, the group extended into all the southern states of America by 1870 and emerged as a main vehicle for the resistance of white southern people of America towards the existing Republican Party’s policies as formulated in the Reconstruction Era. This research is conducted with the aim of analyzing the role of the KKK movements and the contemporary Klan groups in the society of the United States of America. For this purpose, the origin and history of the KKK group is studied followed by an in depth analysis of the impacts of the movements and groups on America and its citizens and the role of the KKK movements and group in shaping the history and the future of the United States of America. The report is concluded by highlighting the main points as identified in the discussion and analysis carried out in the course of the study. Discussion Origin and history of the KKK movements The first movement of the trio, known as the Ku movement started with the aim of overthrowing the Republican State government existing in the Southern region of America during the era of Reconstruction. This was characterized by a revolt against the African American leaders of the Reconstruction Era. The second movement of the series, the Ku movement ended in the year 1871. The Klux movement was the second movement of the series and was a very massive, nationwide and controversial organization developed in the 1920s with the aim of opposing the Catholics, Jews and immigrants in the country (Baker, 2011). The KKK movements first emerged after the Civil War as the first terrorist group in the country. After the inception of the Klan, there was a considerable increase in the power and influence of the group on the American society and political scenarios. However, throughout its existence, the KKK has experienced several cyclical periods of growth and trough. In some of these growth periods the Klan movement has remained in the most prominent and influential position in the American society. The current manifestation of the KKK group is done as a form of hate group as per the Southern Poverty Law Centre and the Anti Defamation league of the United States of America. However, in all kinds of manifestations, the Klan group has been able to maintain the combined heritage of violence and hate. The KKK movements faced sever resistance from the right wing parties and the neo Nazi groups in the later periods which finally led to the collapse of the Klan group before the year 2000 (McWhorter, 2001). Role of the KKK in changing the course of American history The KKK name underpins a number of small distinct and unconnected groups as per the current manifestation of the term. The term signifies all these kinds of movements that have been conducted in the 1870s as a way of emphasizing on secrecy, racism and several other distinctive customs prevailing in the United States of America in that period. All these three movements were aimed at the purification of the society existing in America at that time and all of these three movements are considered to be important segments of the right wing extremism experienced by the country from the 18th century to the 19th century (Nelson, 2001). The role of women participants has been significant in the Klux and Klan movements of the KKK series of revolts and movements (Dray, 2002). Thus, it can be identified that despite many negative effects that these movements have had on the growth and development of America as a society and a nation, there have also been some long term value reaping impacts of these movements. The empowerment of women in the society has by far remained the most prominent and remarkable positive impact of the KKK movements on America as a nation. The extremely violent activities carried out by the Klan group as a part of their revolt mechanism ultimately led to the group experiencing a long period of decline. However, after this, the white protestant groups started reviving the group during the early 20th century, during which major revolts were carried out by staging rallies, conducting marches and parades for denouncing immigrants in America, blacks, Jews, Catholics and the organized labor groups existing in the country. The revival period of the Klan group also include the use of sever forms of violence and hatred as the mechanisms of revolting and protesting which actually had a detrimental effect on the psychology of the entities of the society of the country. Reflects and consequences of the acts and actions of the KKK The Ku Klux Klan movements were considered to be the main components of extremism in the American society in the 1870s. This movement was termed as an anti semantic and racist movement that were conducted on the basis of the commitment to extreme levels of revolt and violence for the achievement of ultimate objectives like white supremacy and racial segregation in the American society (Chalmers, 2003) . The Klan is identified as the anti right wing group in the United States with the highest number of local and national organizations in different corners of the United States of America. There are more than 40 distinct Klan groups existing in the United States and many of these groups consist of more than one “Klaverns” or chapters. There are over one hundred Klan chapters existing around the nation with the combined strength of the members and associates of the Klan group being approximately 8000 (Cunningham, 2013). At the beginning, the Ku Klux Klan concentrated on revolting against the African American groups of citizens, against the federal government, the white Americans and all the other entities or organizations who supported the African American groups of the society. The subsequent forms of the Ku Klux Klan group extended its focus in a wider number of opponent groups including the Catholics, Jews, various groups of immigrants in the country and the gay and homosexual groups of people belonging to the American society (Pitsula, 2013). Impacts of the KKK for America The impact of the Ku Klux Klan movements on the American society is highly profound. During its powerful times, the Ku Klux Klan movements negatively impacted the existence of the minority groups in the country which came into economic competition with the working class and low class of white Americans who were the main constituent entities of the Klan group in the majority of its forms and incarnations (Brooks, 2014). The collapse of the Ku Klux Klan group in the late 1990s caused by the popularity and activities of the neo Nazi groups helped to develop racist activities but at the same time provided fresh opportunities for the Ku Klux Klan group to re emerge in the American society in the early 2000s, when these movements were again started as against the immigrants in the United States, especially the Hispanic groups of people. The movements conducted by the Klan group for opposing immigration have severely impacted the American society and has led to the creation of anxiety and fear in the minds of the American citizens related to immigration. After experiencing a period of comparatively low scale activity, the Ku Klux Klan group again started its movements and other revolt related activities in the year 2006 when the group started conducting movements for exploiting the fears and anxieties of the American citizens related to legalization of gay marriages, immigration, crime and assaults in Christianity and Jewish religions (McVeigh, 2009). Thus, it is feared that these revolting groups may again disrupt the organized structures of the society in the United States and cause massive political and social upheavals and disturbances in the country. Conclusion There are contrasting views regarding the usefulness and sustainability of the Klan group in America as per the opponents and the proponents of the Ku Klux Klan movements and groups. The Ku Klux Klan groups are criticized by its opponents because of the immoral attempts of the groups to take advantage of the uncertainties and fear existing in the society of the United States, for achieving their own propaganda purposes and for attracting publicity for the group. However, as per the proponents of the Ku Klux Klan movements, the group has played a vital role in achieving major social objectives during the Reconstruction Era through the denouncement of the policies formulated by the Republican Party during this period. But it can be clearly identified that, till date, the group continues to indulge in political and racial terrorism which are argued to have substantial derogatory and negative impacts on the present and the future of the United States of America. References Baker, K. J. (2011). Gospel According to the Klan: The KKKs Appeal to Protestant America, 1915-1930. Kansas City: University Press of Kansas.  Brooks, M. E. (2014).  The Ku Klux Klan in Wood County, Ohio. Charleston: The History Press. Chalmers, D. M. (2003). Backfire: How the Ku Klux Klan Helped the Civil Rights Movement. London: Rowman & Littlefield. . Cunningham, D. (2013). The Rise and fall of the Civil Rights-Era Ku Klux Klan. New York: Oxford University Press. Dray, P (2002). At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America. New York: Random House. McVeigh, R. (2009). The Rise of the Ku Klux Klan: Right-Wing Movements and National Politics. Stamford: Cengage. McWhorter, D. (2001). Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama, The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution. New York: Simon & Schuster. Nelson, J. (2001). Terror in the Night: The Klans Campaign against the Jews. New York: Simon & Schuster. Pitsula, J. M. (2013). Keeping Canada British: The Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Saskatchewan. Columbia: University of British Columbia Press. Read More