Ku Klux Klan emblem
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|
In existence | |
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1st Klan | 1865–1871 |
2nd Klan | 1915–1944 |
3rd Klan | 1946–present |
Members | |
1st Klan | Unknown |
2nd Klan | 3,000,000–6,000,000 (peaked in 1924–25) |
3rd Klan | 5,000–8,000 |
Properties | |
Political ideology | |
religion | Protestantism(historically; recently more generally Christianity) |
The Ku Klux Klan /ˈkuː ˈklʌks ˈklæn, ˈkjuː/, commonly called the KKK or simply the Klan, is the name of three distinct movements in the United States that have advocated extremist reactionary positions such as white supremacy, white nationalism, anti-immigration and—especially in later iterations—Nordicism,anti-Catholicism and antisemitism. Historically, the KKK used terrorism—both physical assault and murder—against groups or individuals whom they opposed. All three movements have called for the "purification" of American society and all are considered right-wing extremist organizations.
The first Klan flourished in the Southern United States in the late 1860s, then died out by the early 1870s. It sought to overthrow the Republican state governments in the South during the Reconstruction Era, especially by using violence against African American leaders. With numerous chapters across the South, it was suppressed around 1871, through federal law enforcement. Members made their own, often colorful, costumes: robes, masks and conical hats, designed to be terrifying and to hide their identities.