The End of the KKK. A Learning Experience for the U.S.

This picture is a representation of the racial prejudice created by the KKK, we have learned today to remain equal, no matter the race. 

KKK- Ku Klux Klan- They will forever go down in history as a 'gang'.
The KKK began, Tennessee became forever feared that it is possible that the KKK could affect the freedoms that the civilians have. This book had multiple personal accounts, and this is what made the book really come alive. I was able to see many perspectives and also understand why the KKK did what they did. I am not say that I condone their violent behavior, however they made rash decisions due to reasons including race and benefits they could have. The KKK prided themselves on being a gang, and they believed they were doing a service to the society by killing off freedmen. Our society today has learned from this wrongdoing. We are able to live together, with multiple races and cultures. Here is something we learned from the KKK's mistakes. Race and culture don't matter. It is not something a person can change. It shouldn't be a matter of life or death. 

One thing that I thought was really interesting is that if we think about a day in our age/generation, you would never believe that this would ever really happen. The idea and the events that took place during the KKK did really happen and by studying the past, you can learn for the future. Though the KKK is always thought of as negatively, you could pull a positive. Today, we have the arms and abilities and nationalism to better prepare and protect citizens against these terrorist groups. The KKK, though extremely negative, gave us hope today that we will remain as safe as possible, knowing and learning from the past. One of the most interesting parts of the book, was when I learned about the similarities of the KKK to a fraternity. This is because the Kuklos came about from the the fraternities. They had the same violent activities like frat's did, like hazing. Another interesting thing, and what I think is one of the most important parts of the book is that the KKK came as ghosts. Not only ghosts, but ghosts of the Confederate Army. Also, they dressed as Confederates and rode on their horses at night. They took the violence out upon freedmen. You could say that they 'haunted them'. Freedmen had to defense and were blindsided by these attacks. 

This book also does a decent job of allowing us to see the amount of fear that was built up due to this horrific group. Many people had joined out of fear, not because they agreed with the values of the KKK. The KKK had become very popular. Out of fear, fear of death and fear of pain, people impulsively joined in and participated in the violence. The KKK feared as well, they had a fear that the dark skinned people would take over the South. And their solution was to wipe out as many of the freedmen as possible. One person that was introduced to me was Mittie, she needed the protection of the white women. She shivered with fear as she thought about what the KKK could do to her. This book had a common theme; learning from the past and violence is not the answer. Does violence really solve anything? Or will it just create unnecessary fear and chaos? Obviously, the KKK chaos led us to today. Where we are free to be who we want without being ferociously murdered for it. Death was not the answer, changing who you are is not the answer. We have learnt to be able to deal with these types of situations during modern times.

The KKK negative, yet taught the modern U.S. what NOT to be. 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/flood-klan/- More information about the KKK

-Aboli Kesbhat

KKK.. Continued

The Ku Klux Klan >> At it's mischievous games, yet again!
KKK has done it again. What I have learned so far may be somewhat horrific. The Ku Klux Klan, known for their midnight raids on societies where they believe some people didn't belong. I have background experience from history class about what their intentions were, and from this non-fiction book, my suspicions were proven correct. I have now learned that the primary group was formed through 6 men. John Lester, Calvin Jones, Richard Reed, James Crowe, Frank McCord, and John Kennedy had a different idea about what the end of the civil war called for. These six men said that the civil war called for an overpowerment of the dark-skinned people. I know this is racist, and I believe that they were doing a wrong act. Who knew people felt so strongly about things that a human can't change about themselves (race)?

One specific historical moment I remember is when they related back to how the KKK came about. They speak of Abraham Lincoln. Using background info, we know that Abraham Lincolk was one who fought against racial discrimination. The Civil War led to the Emancipation Proclamation, which these six men believe was the first step to creating their klan or circle. The Ku Klux Klan, originally named Kuklos, later changed to the KKK. The Klansmen rode in on masks and dark clothing, and took advantage and created violence amongst the different races. Here are some pictures of the real KKK. To me, they look like ghosts!

Ku Klux Klan

What do we know about ghosts? They go around town, anonymously hunting people for their own personal reasons. Now if I was there at that time... I would've asked them, Why these people? What will you accomplish by killing these people? KKK has left their mark on this country. We know that we aren't invincible against people who take race personally. No ONE race is better than the other! Our country is built on trust and equality, people like this create distrust and they also create tension amomg people. Who knew that someone could take it this far? This book is really getting me to think about what racial equality really is. I hope to be able to learn even more as this book continues. 

http://www.history.com/topics/ku-klux-klan

This is a link to facts on the KKK.