Domestic Terrorism By: Monica DeHart, Aida L. Wilhelm & DaVette Henderson

• Domestic Terrorism

• By: Monica DeHart, Aida L. Wilhelm & DaVette Henderson

Ku Klux Klan Facts

• Definition:

• “1. A secret society organized in the South after the Civil War to reassert White supremacy by means of terrorism” (www.answers.com, 2007, p.1).

• Classification:

• Fringe Right

• Strength:

• less than 500 members

Ku Klux Klan Facts

• Source of Income: Membership dues and sales of KKK paraphernalia.

• Also known as: American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Imperial Klans of America, and Knights of the White Kamelia.

• Last offense:

• unknown

Ku Klux Klan Two Generations

Background Information

• Post Civil War:

• 6 middle-class Veterans of the Confederate Army founded the Ku Klux Klan.

• December 24, 1865: Ku Klux Klan established.

• Modern day Fraternal Organization: expressing their beliefs of a supreme race White Power.

The First Era of Ku Klux Klan

• President Ulysses Grant demolished the Ku Klux Klan in the 1870’s under the Civil Rights Act.

• 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act (www.wikipedia.com, 2007).

• Began by humor and eventually turned into hatred and terrorism towards non-white’s.

• Key Target was African Americans also known as- NEGRO’S!!! (www.wikipedia.com, 2007).

Nathan Bedford Forrest

• Nominated as the “Grand Wizard” which was the Klan’s national leader (www.wikipedia.com, 2007, p.3).

• 1867 Meeting to compose a formal membership of the KKK.

• Forrest is quoted by George Gordon as stating “…that’s a damn good thing. We can keep them niggers in their place” (www.answers.com, 2007, p. 10).

Activities of the First Era

• “The Klan sought to control the political and social status of the freed slaves” (www.wikipedia.com, 2007, p.3).

• “Specifically, it attempted to curb black education, economic advancement, voting rights, and the right to bear arms” (www.wikipedia.com, 2007, p. 3).

Activities of first era cont…

• KKK Targets:

• School teacher’s, Operatives of the federal Freedman’s Bureau and Black member’s of the Local Leagues.

• The Klan killed over 150 African Americans in one county in Florida (www.wikipedia.com, 2007, p.3).

The Second Era of Ku Klux Klan

• In 1915, William J. Simmons (Grand Wizard) re-established the second era.

• Simmon’s was inspired by the movie “Birth of a Nation” by D.W. Griffith (www.adl.org, 2007, p.3).

• Politics:

• More organized and focused on political and social reform.

• Membership:

• 4 million

• Mostly in Midwestern states

William J. Simmons

• Elected in 1915 at meeting on Stone Mountain.

• Sought to form a fraternal organization.

• Based on comprehensive Americanism.

• Recruited post WWI and patronized conflicts occurring in U.S.

• “Now let the Niggers, Catholics, Jews and others who disdain my wizardry, come out.” (www.wikipedia.com, 2007, p.7).

Second Era of the Ku Klux Klan

• Advocated: anti-jewish, anti-catholic, anti-communists and anti-immigant (www.wikipedia.com, 2007, p. 8).

• Republican & Semi-Democratic.

“Violence” of the Ku Klux Klan

• Lynching

• Whippings

• Murders

• Tar and feathering

Hate Crimes of the KKK

• Lynching

• 1915 the Lynching of Leo Frank

• March 20, 1981 lynching of Michael Donald

Hate Crimes of the KKK

• Bombings

• Alabama Church:

• September 15, 1963

• 4 girls killed and 22 adults injured

• Recent findings

• May 17, 2000: clarifications on Church bombing

• FBI aware of bombings

Hate Crimes of the Ku Klux Klan

• In 1977 Joseph Paul Franklin (Former KKK member & serial killer ) was indicted for bombing a synagogue in Chattanooga, Tenneessee.

• He called it a “synagogue of Satin” (www.query.nytimes.com, 2007, p.1)

Hate Crimes of the KKK

• In 1951 the Ku Klux Klan bombed Harry T. Moore’s home. (school teacher & State Director of NAACP)

• 40 years later the FBI & KKK conspired with local authorities to carry out the bombing

Current Chapter

• Female Bands:

• Blue-Eyed Devils

• Angry Aryans

• Prussian Blue

• Believe in White Supremacy

• Source of Education:

• 1950’s racist textbooks

• Lyrics:

• "Strike force! White survival. Strike force! Yeah." (F:\Bakersfield girl band Cute Klux Klan.htm, 2007, p.1)

• "We are proud of being white. We want our people to stay white we don't want to just be, you know, a big muddle. We just want to preserve our race." (F:\Bakersfield girl band Cute Klux Klan.htm, 2007, p.1)

References

• www.adl.org

• www.answers.com

• F:\Bakersfieldgirlbandcutekluxklan.htm

• www.query.nytimes.com

• www.wikipedia.com