Ku Klux Klan
Notorious, extremist group – fiercely patriotic
Displayed extreme racial and religious intolerance
Saw themselves as the protectors of a White, Protestant, Capitalist Traditional America
Methods: violence, torture, threats, intimidation
Enemies of America as they saw it:
Blacks, especially in the South
Jews
Roman Catholics
Foreigners, especially Europeans
Anti-prohibitionists
Radicals
Flappers
Bootleggers
Why?
Feared that Blacks might use their vote to get a Black president
Feared the loss of white supremacy/power
Saw minority groups as a threat to jobs
Saw foreigners as a threat to the American political system, e.g. “Reds”
Support:
Largely from poorly educated whites in rural areas, especially the South
Whites in urban areas with large black, immigrant, Jewish or Catholic populations
Mysteriousness appealed to ignorant whites
Support grew during the 1920’s – peaked in 1925, more than 5 million members – infiltrated all aspects of society, e.g. police, courts, politics
Declined in 1925 when the “Grand Dragon” was found guilty of rape and murder – membership decline to 300 000 within a year. Also, immigration laws helped reduce the Klan’s appeal
Blacks tried to improve conditions with the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) and the “Back to Africa” movement – both met with little success

Blacks
In the Deep South:
Blacks lived in rural slums, worked long hours on cotton and tobacco plantations for low wages
Laws failed to protect blacks from racial discrimination and “if they