Invisible Hand of the Klan

Essay by armstrongjdHigh School, 11th gradeA, March 2003

download word file, 3 pages 4.4 1 reviews

In the 1920's, America was undergoing an enormous social change. Business, industry and government were all subject to the great social movement. The new American was moving in a positive light, but with this light came darkness. As depicted in essays taken from Binder and Reimers "The Way We Lived," organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan played a big role in America during the twenties. From politics, religion, school policy and every day life the Klan had its hand in Americans social movement.

As the great-great grandson of a confederate veteran, it angers me to see how the southern soldier is depicted in today's society. When people today hear someone mention the Confederacy, they automatically think Ku Klux Klan. With this they associate hatred and violence, which isn't how all the southern soldiers were. Many confederates never owned slaves or committed any acts of injustice towards their fellow man, but some did.

The Ku Klux Klan rose to the ranks of two to four million during its climax in the 1920's. Preaching the words of absolute patriotism and what Teddy Roosevelt liked to call "100% Americanism". It sickens me to think that klansmen were impeaching state governors who were anti-klan, and replacing them with pro-klan sympathizers. An example from the text depicts how Oklahoma Governor Jack Walton, was impeached after he declared martial law, and called in The National Guard. It's a scary thought to think that the Ku Klux Klan could over throw a government. These actions over coming from an organization that's founding principles included stopping corrupt politicians.

When you ask why the Ku Klux Klan was started, most will respond with, "they were against Negroes". That is true, but not only were they against blacks in American society, they were also against Roman Catholics, Jews,