Influence of the Klu Klux Klan Today

 The Klu Klux Klan (KKK) is one of America’s oldest hate groups that is still around today. They started in 1865 primarily targeting blacks. The KKK sees themselves as a white American Christian group. After the Civil war ended they considered themselves to be vigilantes and their goal was to intimidate southern blacks. The Klan disbanded after the Jim Crow Laws were put into place, but they resurged in 1925. They had a following of 4 million at that time, and their targets included blacks, immigrants, Jews, and Catholics. However, their political and social influence slowly disappeared, and they disbanded once again. During the Civil Rights movement in the 60’s, the Klan appeared once again. This time to make sure they can preserve segregation. They murdered, bombed, and attacked many people during this time. By the 1970’s any power they had was weakened by court cases and being cut out of the government, giving them little to no political power. It is estimated that today there are 5,000-8,000 active Klan members. In order to gain mainstream popularity, they say they fight for “civil rights for whites”  in order to mask their racism. Although they may have little following and power today, the Klu Klux Klan is still a group that is feared by many people of color and with different beliefs.