Prior to watching this documentary, I
had limited knowledge regarding the origin of the Ku Klux Klan. I was not aware that it originally started as
a fraternity in which its members would dress in elaborate costumes and run
around scaring freed slaves into thinking that they were ghosts of Confederate
generals. Once Klan individuals began to
recognize the fear of the freed slaves, they realized that this fear could
allow whites to take control over the black community once again.
Over time, more than 4 million
Americans claimed membership to the Klan.
They were violent and extremely racist.
As more people became involved, the Klan gained momentum. The civil rights activists were trying to
stop them because of their unjust hatred towards black individuals. Due to the fact that there was not a lot to
do in rural South Carolina during the 1960’s, people were thrilled to go to
Klan rallies and participate in any kind of activities that were available to
them. Bob Jones, a native of Salisbury,
North Carolina was the most successful Grand Dragon of the Klan as he lead a
chapter of over 10,000 members. Many of
his members were uneducated and poor white men who were angry with the black
population and craved feelings to superiority and power. Mr. Jones would hold daytime marches in small
North Carolinian towns in order to show that he was not afraid to express his
views. In general, wealthy individuals
did not join the Klan or publically state their views towards its beliefs. The Klan members marched down sidewalks and
had people move out of their way in order to let them pass. Over time, individuals became irritated by
the Klan and made efforts to fight back against the marchers. Jones repeatedly stated that he did not
condone nor promote violence, but naturally due to the extreme conflicting
views of individuals, it was known to happen from time to time.
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