The most famous movements of white ultranationalist organizations in the USA are associated with this name. In fact, there have been three organizations in the history of the United States called the Ku Klux Klan. The appearance of each of them was due to social and national upheavals in the country.
First Ku Klux Klan
The first ultranationalists to advocate the superiority of the
white race appeared in the southern United States immediately after the end of the
Civil War of 1861-1865. Recall that the victory of the North with its developed industry led to the abolition of slavery in the country and the destruction of the basis of the economic life of the South - plantation slavery. Six months after the end of the war, several veterans of the southern army who disagreed with its results created the first such organization
in Tennessee . At first, the racists did not kill their victims, but only scared them with their appearance. The famous costume of the Ku Klux Klanites, consisting of white robes, terrified yesterday's superstitious slaves. Many sincerely believed that these were the souls of fallen soldiers during the war. Thus, terror in its original meaning - the escalation of fear - was the primary goal of the organization. The same goal was pursued by further killings, lynching of the black population. By 1868, the number of organizations exceeded half a million people who were already active in eleven southern states. During the 1965-1970s, the Ku Klux Klaners committed many terrorist attacks. However, historians still do not agree on the number of victims. By the early 1870s, the organization had achieved tremendous power in many southern states. The police could not resolve the issue on their own. However, the peak of the atrocities of racists, which occurred in October 1871, forced the federal government to declare a state of siege in a number of regions. Hundreds of activists of the organization were arrested and convicted. As a result of this threat, the head of the clan, a former southern army general Forrest, officially announced the dissolution of the organization.
Second Ku Klux Klan
The revival occurred during the First World War at the initiative of old members of the organization, remembering the first stage of its activities. The Ku Klux Klan, whose photo reappeared on the front pages of newspapers, announced its struggle not only with blacks, but also with representatives of other national minorities, as well as with communists, big businessmen and others. However, at this stage of its existence, the organization did not achieve significant success, practically breaking up into small, insignificant groups. The revival of these groups occurred during the next surge in the social and national struggles of blacks.
Third Ku Klux Klan
The mid-20th century generated a lot of activity on national and racial grounds in the United States. In the 1950s and 1960s, there was a massive movement of black citizens, giving them civil rights and eliminating discrimination. In the 1960s, the radical organizations of blacks (like Black Panthers), which had been operating for several years, were gaining momentum. Under these conditions, the Ku Klux Klan is reborn again. Through the efforts of activist David Duke, the organization in the second half of the seventies increased in number to several thousand people. However, the nationalist dawn ended quickly enough. The activities of the Black Panthers were suppressed mainly by large-scale police actions in 1969. The ideologists of the Ku Klux Klan were arrested a decade later, after which the popularity of the movement declined.