The history of the United States of America contains many dramatic and critical periods, one of which is the civil war that outbreaks in 1860 between the free North and the South’s slaveholders. After four years of bloody conflict, slavery was abolished, but the racial confrontation did not end at this point. Thus, in 1865, the Ku Klux Klan organization was formed, which subsequently instilled terror in blacks and those who supported them.
The formation of the organization is associated with the military. According to Wormster (n.d.), “the Ku Klux Klan was formed as a social club by a group of Confederate Army veterans.” Military personnel, hereditary professional soldiers, who could not do anything except military service, lost everything: dashing cavalry attacks, generous salaries, military awards, and ranks. Therefore, forced idleness, provincial boredom, and an oppressive sense of shame for the ignominiously lost war helped the Klan’s organizers invent for themselves the main enemy – the blacks.
The name of the organization had weird features and mystical signs. The group adopted the name Ku Klux Klan from the Greek word “kyklos,” meaning circle (Wormser, n.d.). Thus, based on Greek mythology, the members created an entire hierarchy, using titans, hydras, furies, and other mythical characters. The terrifying and unique uniform appeared to distinguish this organization from all others: snow-white robes and high hoods in the shape of a cone, which completely covered the face, with slits for the eyes. When such a group appeared in any place, the sight was so frightening that people began to talk about the Ku Klux Klan more and more often.
The activities of the Ku Klux Klan had a racist policy. Although formed as a social club, the Klan “quickly became a terrorist organization in service of the Democratic Party and white supremacy” (Wormser, n.d.). Thus, although the organization arose not as a terrorist one, but as a club, a secret society with vague goals similar to the Masonic ones, nevertheless, it began to develop precisely with racist overtones. From 1915, the racist implications of the Ku Klux Klan began to come to the fore when the organization decided to openly confront all persons with a complexion other than white. The murders were distinguished by their sophistication and cruelty. Therefore, the Klan’s impunity and atrocities were painful ordeals for the black. Such events should not be repeated in any case, and people must make every effort for their prevention.
Reference
Wormser, R. (n.d.). Ku Klux Klan. Web.