Pros And Cons Of The Ku Klux Klan

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“The method of force which hides itself in secrecy is a method as old as humanity. The kind of thing that men are afraid or ashamed to do openly, and by day, they accomplish secretly, masked, and at night. The method has certain advantages. It uses Fear to cast out Fear; it dares things at which open method hesitates; it may with a certain impunity attack the high and the low; it need hesitate at no outrage of maiming or murder; it shields itself in the mob mind and then throws over all a veil of darkness which becomes glamor. It attracts people who otherwise could not be reached. It harnesses the mob.” (W. E. B. Du Bois, 1995) In this passionate statement, W. E. B. Du Bois is referencing the notorious organization called the Ku Klux Klan.
These actions of white supremacists took place during the time of the presidential election of Ulysses S. Grant. The Ku Klux Klan was the most prominent organization and was established in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee. The original intent, a social club for former confederate soldiers, soon altered and changed to a terrorist organization. After the Klan was transformed into a terrorist organization, they were responsible for thousands of deaths and remarkably weakened the political power in the south of blacks and republicans. (WGBH
John was born in Vincennes Indiana, and served as a judge in Washington, Indiana. He graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington in 1922 and worked as a reporter. It was then that he covered Klan activities and politics, including the Stephenson trial. (Niblack 187-188) His first direct connection with the Klan happened at the Courthouse in the Clerk's office. A Deputy Clerk, who was a Klansman asked him, “How would you like to be naturalized tomorrow night?” After John questioned what that meant, the Deputy Clerk explained that he had to pay ten dollars and attend a meeting to be part of the Ku Klux Klan. He explained that everybody else was joining. Mr. Niblack responded, “Why don’t we live in peace and harmony rather than fight living with the Negroes, the Catholics, the Jews and foreigners?” (Niblack

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