1.3.1
White Supremacy Groups
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is the most aggressive expression of white supremacy that exists in America. It was formed in 1866 by Nathan Bedford Forrest. The KKK sees itself as the defender of white supremacist values.
Growth of the KKK
Growth of the KKK
- The number of KKK members grew rapidly between 1868 and 1871.
- By 1871 there were approximately 40,000 members in Tennessee alone and half a million across the South in total.
-The KKK sought to end the formal education of black people in the USA for fear that this would give them more political power.
- They destroyed 25 schools and killed 50 African American teachers in Mississippi after the state passed a new public school law in 1870.
Lynching
Lynching
- The KKK took the law into their own hands and publically lynched black people if they felt that they had committed a 'crime'.
- Lynching is where a mob illegally executes another human being.
- This is normally through hanging and in most cases after some form of torture such as being dragged through the streets by a vehicle.
- The 'crimes' that the KKK deemed suitable to punish with lynching included looking at a white man the wrong way, inter-racial relationships, and disrespect of a white man.
- In 1900, 115 lynchings took place across America. This figure was half that of the number of murders across the whole country.
The power of the KKK
The power of the KKK
- Many members of the KKK were very influential in society. This protected the KKK from having to pay for their crimes.
- Membership included people who were politicians, policemen, judges and local government officials.
- The Klansmen protected each other and often gave each other alibis so that other Klansmen couldn’t be arrested.
Birth of a Nation (1915) and the Force Acts
Birth of a Nation (1915) and the Force Acts
Many people in the South saw the KKK as heroes who were trying to protect America. This was made worse by the film Birth of a Nation (1915) which was set during the American Civil War.
Birth of a Nation, dir. D W Griffith
Birth of a Nation, dir. D W Griffith
- Birth of a Nation, directed by D W Griffith was a 3 hour long film which made black people look like predators on a rampage to kill innocent white people, most notably young, ‘innocent white women’.
- By 1915 many towns had theatres so the film was watched by almost half of the population.
- The film was inspired by Thomas Dixon who, despite opposing slavery, was in favour of segregation.
- He wrote books such as The Clansman, which presented the KKK as heroes.
The KKK in Birth of a Nation
The KKK in Birth of a Nation
- In the film, the KKK were presented as heroes who were defending the white population and America.
- The film saw KKK members lynch a black man and as they did this, Jesus appeared in the sky to show his acceptance of the act.
- The black characters were played by white actors who had their face coloured with make-up.
- The film was so popular it grossed $10 million dollars (the equivalent of $220 million today), was watched by 1 million people in its first year and was even screened in the White House to a private audience.
- Black riots stopped the film from being screened in certain towns and the NAACP blamed it for causing a rise in the number of lynchings.
The Force Acts, 1870
The Force Acts, 1870
- In 1870, Congress passed the Force Acts.
- These 3 acts were passed in a bid to protect black people's right to vote, hold government positions, serve on juries and be protected by the law.
- The last of the 3 acts gave the President the legal and military power to stop the violence of the KKK.
- This put a stop to some of the violence that was carried out.
- Martial Law was established in some states and some Klansmen were arrested.
White Leagues
White Leagues
- Although the KKK was starting to be attacked by the government, racism continued and alternative white supremacist groups were established.
- These included the White Leagues.
- White Leagues were responsible for the violence in the Colfax Massacre of 1873 which saw 100 African Americans murdered.
- White League membership extended across much of the Southern States.
1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77
1.1The Thirteenth Amendment
1.2Radical Reconstruction, 1867-77
2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890
2.1Jim Crow Laws & Civil Rights Cases
3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41
3.1Failure to Address Black Grievances
3.2The New Deal
3.3The Second World War
4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68
4.1Civil Rights Activities, 1954–63
4.2Civil Rights 1964-68
4.3Malcolm X & The Black Panthers
5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09
5.1The Late 20th Century
5.2Barack Obama & his Political Career
5.3Reasons for Obama's Victory
Jump to other topics
1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77
1.1The Thirteenth Amendment
1.2Radical Reconstruction, 1867-77
2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890
2.1Jim Crow Laws & Civil Rights Cases
3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41
3.1Failure to Address Black Grievances
3.2The New Deal
3.3The Second World War
4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68
4.1Civil Rights Activities, 1954–63
4.2Civil Rights 1964-68
4.3Malcolm X & The Black Panthers
5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09
5.1The Late 20th Century
5.2Barack Obama & his Political Career
5.3Reasons for Obama's Victory
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