The New KKK spawned by the post-war reaction in the '20s, was not only anti-black. It was against foreigners, Catholics, jewish, pacifists, Communists, internationalists, evolutionists, bootleggers, gambling, adultery, and birth control.
KKK was pro-white Anglo-Saxon protestant ("WASP).
The Klan was mainly established in the Midwest and the Bible Belt South. At one time in the '20s, it claimed 5 million paying members and wielded potent political influence.
The Klan ended in the late 1920s when congressional investigation exposed the scandal as a vicious racket based on a $10 initiation fee, $4 of which was used to recruit.
KKK was pro-white Anglo-Saxon protestant ("WASP).
The Klan was mainly established in the Midwest and the Bible Belt South. At one time in the '20s, it claimed 5 million paying members and wielded potent political influence.
The Klan ended in the late 1920s when congressional investigation exposed the scandal as a vicious racket based on a $10 initiation fee, $4 of which was used to recruit.
Enjoyed the wasp picture, and the divisions of America picture was very informative.
ReplyDeleteIt's frightening that the KKK finally ended because of a financial scandal and not because of al of the other, more horrible, things that they were doing.
ReplyDeleteI think this post is helpful in the sense that people tend to associate "KKK" with "racism against African Americans", and we tend to forget that this terrible group was opposed to a whole bunch of other groups of American society.
ReplyDeleteJoe, nicely organized blog post. You presented the information well. Good Job.
ReplyDeleteThe WASP description is going to be really useful. Except, I must disagree with its associated picture. The temperment of a WASP was to attack anything that even remotely qualified as diverse. They are in no way on the defensive side. Besides that, I think you have crafted a marvelous piece.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Maria. I kind of surprises me that the KKK was common in the Bible Belt, where I often thought people accepted everyone else as children of God. Guess not :(
ReplyDeleteMerci Joe! Everytime I hear about the KKK, or any new group like them, I get a little upset. But I feel more informed and that is comforting. I agree with Maria, sho'nuff. thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI like the WASP description and the picture though I'd say the KKK were unprovoked... like Matthew said, its good to know that the KKK stood for than antiblack crimes - thats certainly what comes to mind when I think of the KKK.
ReplyDeleteI'll just get this out of the way. I strongly dislike the KKK with a passion. What they did was extremely worng, discriminatory, and scary. What's even more scary is that society accepted them.5 MILLION PAYING MEMBERS??? Anyway, nice post and I like the acronym "WASP"
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought we were done with these guys after post-Civil war tensions died out! Or did they? could this be the expression of bottled up resentment, now expressed against new minorities?
ReplyDeleteThe KKK is a terrible thing, but what can we do about it now? They were terrible back then and are now, to an extent. I must say that I knew most of this stuff already from various documentaries.
ReplyDelete5 million members -- and that's just dues paying members! Yikes. Thanks for the good coverage, Joe, and the Wasp illustration is perfect.
ReplyDeleteThe Klan are some scary folks. It's even scarier to think that some of them remain today. Anyways, nice post!
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