KKK: Then and Now | National Geographic

at the turn of the 20th century

at the turn of the 20th century America’s social landscape was changing

America’s social landscape was changing

America’s social landscape was changing rapidly urbanization industrialization

rapidly urbanization industrialization

rapidly urbanization industrialization and a massive influx of Jewish and

and a massive influx of Jewish and

and a massive influx of Jewish and Catholic immigrants from Europe the Klan

Catholic immigrants from Europe the Klan

Catholic immigrants from Europe the Klan began a violent campaign to terrorize

began a violent campaign to terrorize

began a violent campaign to terrorize immigrants and exploit fears that

immigrants and exploit fears that

immigrants and exploit fears that immigrants threatened American values by

immigrants threatened American values by

immigrants threatened American values by the 1920s Klan membership was over four

the 1920s Klan membership was over four

the 1920s Klan membership was over four million during the 1930s and 40s Klan

million during the 1930s and 40s Klan

million during the 1930s and 40s Klan membership again declined but the Klan

membership again declined but the Klan

membership again declined but the Klan experienced a resurgence during the

experienced a resurgence during the

experienced a resurgence during the civil rights era in the 1950s blacks

civil rights era in the 1950s blacks

civil rights era in the 1950s blacks began to demand an end to the Jim Crow

began to demand an end to the Jim Crow

began to demand an end to the Jim Crow laws in the south that legally supported

laws in the south that legally supported

laws in the south that legally supported racial discrimination seeing the civil

racial discrimination seeing the civil

racial discrimination seeing the civil rights movement as a threat to white

rights movement as a threat to white

rights movement as a threat to white rule the Klan went on the attack

between 1955 and 1965 Klansmen or Klan

between 1955 and 1965 Klansmen or Klan sympathizers carried out over 200

sympathizers carried out over 200

sympathizers carried out over 200 bombings and murdered 40 civil rights

bombings and murdered 40 civil rights

bombings and murdered 40 civil rights workers brutal images of Klan violence

workers brutal images of Klan violence

workers brutal images of Klan violence turned public opinion against the KKK by

turned public opinion against the KKK by

turned public opinion against the KKK by the end of the 1960s the FBI was

the end of the 1960s the FBI was

the end of the 1960s the FBI was successfully infiltrating the Klan and

successfully infiltrating the Klan and

successfully infiltrating the Klan and its leaders were being prosecuted it

its leaders were being prosecuted it

its leaders were being prosecuted it seemed the Klan had been defeated Klan

seemed the Klan had been defeated Klan

seemed the Klan had been defeated Klan membership declined from nearly 40,000

membership declined from nearly 40,000

membership declined from nearly 40,000 in 1961 to a low of 1,500 in 1973 but

in 1961 to a low of 1,500 in 1973 but

in 1961 to a low of 1,500 in 1973 but over their long history the Ku Klux Klan

over their long history the Ku Klux Klan

over their long history the Ku Klux Klan has always managed to rebuild in place

has always managed to rebuild in place

has always managed to rebuild in place mixers seems fertilized