History of the term Ku Klux Klan

I toss this in for what it is worth, Letty. One of his works of fiction included a cross burning which supposedly proclaimed the intent to hold a particular piece of land forever, and I seem to recall some sort of allusion to this being a tradition of the Scottish clans.

I don't mean to cite a work of fiction as an historical document, of course. It's just food for thought.

know somepin, Rog. So many things throughout the scope of time have been twisted to suit the occasion. I wonder, truthfully, if Trent Lott was really just paying a tribute to Strom Thurman...a lapse in his mind and a salute from the heart. Why are people so afraid of passion? Those were Chaiyah's (sp) words, and although I don't often respond to her threads on Abuzz, I think about them often.

There are writers in this world who are prophets...the Cassandras of reality. The Greeks do indeed have a word for it. <smile> but so do the doctors turned writers, such as A.C. Doyle...

More Klan History

Hi, Joanne. Strange, I didn't get an update on your response. I'm not quite certain that I understand your reply.

Interesting stuff...

Letty, did you know that Joanne's reply was a link? Click on it and it takes you to an article.

Definitely interesting. "Terrorizing" stood out -- that's exactly what they were (are?), terrorists.

Hi,Deb,

Quite!

Hi,Soz. No, I hadn't realized that, but all that info was in my original link. Duh! Thanks, neat thing.

It is interesting, the extent to which the original Klan was an organization almost totally sub-rosa. A few years ago, i read the first biography which was written about Nathan Beford Forrest, at the time at which Forrest had disbanded the original Klan. The author had served under Forrest during the war, and took depositions from veterans of both Confederate and Federal forces to substantiate his points of view on controversial topics. He discussed in detail the Congressional hearings held after the war, in which hearings Forrest and John Brown Gordon had been accused of organising "night riders" to attack and intimidate northerners who had come south to help the freed slaves and the former slaves themselves. Forrest and Gordon were cleared of the chages. Gordon went on to become governor of Georgia, and was dubbed "the ablest man in the South" by the New York Times. In discussing this with a gentleman i know, from Tennesse, who is (or at least, once was) an Archivist at the University of Illinois, i suggested that this author had been disingenuous at best, in not mentioning Forrest's part in the Klan. He replied to me that very likely, this author had absolutely no knowledge of Forrest's participation in the Klan--the original organization had a rather noble view of their own activities, for whatever we may think today, and wished to carry on their activities anonymously, not necessarily attempting to hide criminality. Forrest was disgusted by the direction the Klan had taken, and therefore moved to disband the organization. Hateful men had taken over, however, and they were not to be denied. The "new" Klan, which was formed in Georgia c. 1912, not only made no attempt to hide themselves and their activities, they sought publicity--their goal was intimidation, among many other scurrilous and criminal ends, and publicity suited their agenda quite nicely.

There was a novel at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century entitled The Clansman by Thomas Dixon, which glorified the activities of the Klan, and it was this novel which D. W. Griffith used as the basis for his epic movie The Birth of a Nation. Part II of this silent movie dealth with Reconstruction, and was extremely racist, in an America which was not necessarily offended by that slant.

T
Thanks, Setanta. It does seem that hate discards one "sheet" and dons another. Who was it that said, "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." ? Well, I used to believe that if it were in print, it was a fact.

What does ku klux clan mean? Does anyone know? I am curious of the hystory behind the ku klux clan, I know they were racist people, but other than that I don't know much.

also what's your opinion about them, are they misunderstood people? Are they evil? are they good? Are they right? Are they wrong? Are they non violent? And another question what do they believe in?

also sorry if anyone is offended by this, but I am a jewish person, also part native american, and russian, sorry if I offended some of the real kkk on this site, and I don't think I would want to join the kkk or at least I wouldn't qualify to be one unless I turned racist LOL! But my questions are what would a kkk person do if you didn't qualify? I bet they would hang you are not let you join huh? And of course I wouldn't be a KKK person, unless someone was really trying to kill me, I would just say I needed their protection because I just want a hit man, not for racism just a hitman. then after he beat up someone I would kill him LOL! With a shotgun or katana! Well peace out Homeslices! *ICP LAUGH!!!!!* HA HA HA HA HA! Jack in the box, the great molincoe, great molinco box! evil tao ten pointed star!

It's nothing to LOL about. It's a violent, racist group. People have been killed by them. It is nothing to make light of.