The Civil Rights Movement Of North Carolina Essay

Topic: In 1866, the Ku Klux Klan was founded by many former confederate veterans in retaliation to their current Republican Party’s Reconstruction-era policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for blacks. The Reconstruction era sparked by President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation clearly defined that the days of white superiority were in dissolution. Through a willful ignorance and an insecurity of what might postlude the civil rights movement, the KKK rose, using terror in pursuit of their white supremacist agenda. Nathan Bedford Forrest, a former Lieutenant general in the Civil war, became the KKK's first Grand Wizard. Now with a steady leader the klan became a persistent political party aimed at dismantling the increasingly

The source that proved most useful during the research process for this paper was the non-fiction White Terror by Allen W. Trelease. He was a recognized historian and Emeritus Professor in the Department of History at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Trelease specialized in southern history especially during the reconstruction and the civil war periods. This source features in this paper heavily, mostly because the chapters follow the KKK from the Klan’s beginnings all the way through the reconstruction period, which is the time period in discussion. In addition, the novel puts an emphasis on the success the Klan had in relation to what they aimed to accomplish with their actions. A limitation of the document would be that many of the Klan’s actions and motives were of a clandestine nature and therefore much of the dating and validity of information is estimated. The novel overcomes this drawback by referencing multiple primary sources such as a Ku Klux warning to Governor Henry Clay Warmouth of Louisiana on page 273.

During the 1920’s rebirth of the KKK, the Klan would turn to politics to help push their beliefs. Hundreds of Klansmen would go onto win elections to local offices and state legislatures, which at the height of their power would account for more than three million members (Henretta, pg. 670). Having members of the Klan elected to local offices and state legislatures, allowed for the Klan to become very influential. Eventually becoming so influential, the clan had people feeling as if they were compelled to support or join them. Along with becoming influential, having Klansmen in local offices and state legislatures allowed for the Klan become dispersed across the country. Unlike the original Klan, the reborn Klan well geographically

A year into the Klan, leaders wanted to create a hierarchical organization. As a result, in 1867, Klan’s from all over the South gathered in Tennessee and gave former Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest full control of the Klan (The History Channel, 2005). Later interviewed by a Charleston newspaper, Forrest boasted that the member count exceeded 40,000 men in Tennessee alone and over 550,000 in all the Southern states (The Charleston, 1868). Never achieving organization, local chapters continued to go about their business, settling things in a way they deemed fit, this, in turn, would be one of the reasons for the decline of the Klan.

Through research and evidence, it is clear that the historical interpretations of the origins of Klan and its establishment as an organization and its origins have changed over time. Starting in 1906, historians argued that the Klan was a benevolent, social organization, working as law-enforcers to help maintain a distinct social order between Southern whites and newly freed slaves. Completely ignoring the violence produced by the Klan, historians depicted the Klan as a positive, well-rounded organization. The second historical interpretation shone a new light on the Klan, exposing it for its violent and racially motivated actions. Historians argued that the Klan’s establishment was as a political organization that made a negative and lasting impression on all of U.S. history. The third and final interpretation argues that the Klan was established as a result of a struggling planter class. Historical interpretations during this time period describe the main goal of the Klan as wanting to answer to the desires and goals of the planters’ class. Because of this, historians during this era never saw the Klan as being an obstacle for newly freed slaves nor did they see the Klan having a negative effect on society. In conclusion, it is evident that historical interpretations develop and

This turn to violence was how the first Ku Klux Klan rose. The Klan was formed by six ex-Confederate Veterans in Pulaski, Tennessee, this organization started off small but began absorbing most of the other anti-Reconstruction groups in the south, like the Men of Justice, the Pale Faces, the Constitutional Union Guards, the White Brotherhood, and the Order of the White Rose (Infoplease.com). The Ku Klux Klan was created in fear of an insurrection by the ex-slaves, now the freedmen. The most recognized founder of the Klan was Nathan Bedford Forrest. Their white robes and masks are supposed to be a representation of ex-Confederate soldiers who died during the civil war. One of the Klan’s biggest goal was keeping the freedmen away from the voting polls to assure the success of ex-Confederates in gaining back their political control in many states. In 1871, President Grant took an aim at the Klan for their interference in black suffrage but by this time the support for Reconstruction was beginning to diminish because racism was still very much alive in both the north and the south. As time progressed the Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives. The democrats waged a campaign of violence to take control of Mississippi to which President Grant responded with a refusal of federal troop intervention which ended support of the Reconstruction era. In the election of 1876, Republican, Rutherford B. Haynes, reached a compromise with

Forever. 170). The Klan were white southerners who were organized and committed to the breaking down of Reconstruction. By methods of brutality, “the Klan during Reconstruction offers the most extensive example of homegrown terrorism in American history” (Foner. Forever. 171). The Ku Klux Klan as well as other groups killed or tormented black politicians or threatened the blacks who voted in elections. The Klan strongly disagreed with the northern idea that slaves should become part of the government. The Historian Kenneth M. Stampp states, “for their [the North] supreme offense was not corruption but attempting to organize the Negroes for political action” (Stampp. Era. 159). This corresponds with Foner’s idea that the South was not open to the idea of change but more so consumed with the idea of recreating a society similar to one of the past. However, the goal of white power groups was not just politics. The Klan wanted to restore the hierarchy once controlling the South. Foner observes that, “the organization took on the function of the antebellum slave patrols: making sure that blacks did not violate the rules and etiquette of white supremacy” (Foner. Forever. 172). Like the power the southern whites formerly held over the slave population, the Ku Klux Klan wanted to control the African American population still living in the South. They did not want the freedmen to become integrated into their society because they saw them as lesser people. By suppressing and

Throughout the 1920′s the Klan’s membership saw an increase, estimates at the time ranged from 3-5 million and profits rolled in from the sale these memberships, regalia, costumes and rituals. The Ku Klux Klan used intimidation, threats, beating and even murder in their quest for a “purified America”, thus appealing to many Americans due to their proactive approach, which had not been mirrored by that of the republican government during the period. An example of such influence is the alleged election of governors in Maine, Colorado and Louisiana who had KKK support.

Life for African Americans in the United States has never been easy. First they were enslaved and later became free. Lastly they just needed the same rights as everyone else. The Klu Klux Klan wasn’t going to let that happen. The Klan wanted to stop all political and economical equality for African Americans. They were violent and terrorized all African Americans and anyone who tried to help them acquire equality. The Klu Klux Klan is a harsh and is extremely racist. They had a part in economic and social problems in the United States in the late 1860s (History.com Staff).

As today’s controversy surrounding Confederate memory grows, it begins to include not just the popular monuments to the Confederacy such as Stone Mountain, and monuments to General Lee, Jefferson Davis, and Nathan Forrest. Now even lesser memorials such as Silent Sam have also come under attack from civil rights activists lately. Silent Sam has stood on the University of North Carolina’s main campus in Chapel Hill for over 100 years. In that time there have only been a few times in which Sam has been the object of criticism.

Hooded Americanism: The First Century of the Ku Klux Klan: 1865 to the Present by David Chalmers records the history of the Ku Klux Klan quite bluntly, all the way from its creation following the civil war, to the early 1960’s. The author starts the book quite strongly by discussing in detail many acts of violence and displays of hatred throughout the United States. He makes a point to show that the Klan rode robustly throughout all of the country, not just in the southern states. The first several chapters of the book focus on the Klan’s creation in 1865. He goes on to discuss the attitude of many Americans following the United State’s Civil War and how the war shaped a new nation. The bulk of the book is used to go through many of

North Carolina, like all southern states, experienced a civil rights movement after the Civil War. This movement would last for over 100 years until 1965 with the signing of the Civil Rights Act. While the term “civil rights movement” focuses on ending segregation and discrimination towards African Americans, there were other important freedoms and rights fought for in North Carolina. In addition to race; gender equality and voting rights, as well as, academic freedom were significant struggles during the civil rights movement in North Carolina. North Carolina is a state that has struggled, and continues to struggle, with civil rights and because of these battles is sometimes overlooked as a contributor in the fight for equality.

The statistics on the urban popularity are as follows, up to fifty thousand in Chicago, thirty-eight thousand in Indianapolis, thirty-five thousand in Detroit, twenty-three thousand in Denver, and twenty-two thousand in Portland Oregon. The presence in of the new Ku Klux Klan is undeniable in cities across America and is very much different from the previous waves grassroots. The reason I still believe the Klan was not Main stream despite its urban popularity is the Klan’s attach of its own

"With the great depression of the 1930s, contribution paying participation of the Klan shrank to nothing." (Encyclopedia) Its breakdown from that point was to a great extent because of state laws that forbid masks and, veils and disposed of the mystery component, to the bad publicity. "The association got through its hooligans and swindlers, and obviously from the declining enthusiasm of the individuals." (Reference 2) The Civil rights development of the 1960s saw a surge of neighborhood Klan activity over the South, including the bombings, beatings and shootings of high contrast activists. These exercises, finished in mystery however apparently the work of close nearby Klansmen, insulted the nation and won winning backing for the social equality cause. "In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson conveyed a discourse openly pronouncing the catch of four Klansmen in regards to the crime of a white female social freedoms worker in Alabama."(Viola Gregg Liuzzo) The instances of Klan-related violence turned out to be more isolated in the decades to come, however divided gatherings got to be adjusted to neo-Nazi or other conservative fanatic associations from the 1970s forward. In the mid 1990s, the Klan was evaluated to have some place around 6,000 and 10,000 dynamic individuals, generally in the Profound South. Indeed, even right up til the present time there are members

Why was it needed… Who are the rivals… What happened in the 1970s to the 2000s… Most prominent in countries were relatively balanced, the KKK engaged in terrorist raids against African-Americans and white Republicans at night, employing intimidation, destruction of property, assault, and murder to achieve aims and influence upcoming elections (history.com). Around the 20th century there are two rivals, one in response to immigration, and another in response to African-American civil rights movement. The 1970s to early 2000s, the breaking up, weakening of power and decline characterized the Klan during this period , though there was a brief Klan revival in the late 1970s and early 1980s. So more facts about the KKK and their background. These