Jim Crow and KKK

Methods of Early Klan

- White sheets : to create fear by looking like the ghosts of dead confederate soldiers. - Lynchings - Night raids - Burned crosses in front of homes of people they wanted to frighten - Burned churches and schools and drove people out of their home

Enforcement Acts

Federal laws that made the actions of the Klan illegal. However, the klan had already achieved their goals so it died down.

Homer Plessy

1/8 black. Arrested for sitting in a white carriage in Louisiana on 7 June 1892. He took his case case to the supreme court. 4 Years later the court made its decision: "Separate but equal facilities do not violate the constitution" ; "Segregation is not discrimination"

Second Klan formation

1920s. More African Americans are becoming educated and employed. Also, more immigrants are coming to America. Birth of a Nation, a movie, showed black people raping and looting white people. Woodrow Wilson (president) said 'it's all true'.

Public Accommodation

Accommodation means a place where people spend time, Jim Crow laws kept races separate, especially in public areas.

Voting

African Americans were taxed, intimidated and they would have to do a test. If they managed to pass and got the chance to vote, the ballot paper was usually stolen or not counted.

Modern Klan - tactics and religion

Barbecues, public speaking, wearing crosses, burning crosses, shouting, small parades.

Transportation

Blacks were required to sit in the back of buses and train cars or in a separate car altogether, regardless of whether they had bought a first class ticket.

Targets of Second Klan

Blacks, catholics, Jews, communists and immigrants. To protect the American way of life.

Second Klan - Tactics

Bombs, cornering, open punishments, parades, rape, assault

Second Klan - Religion

Collected members and money from church.

Jim Crow

Daddy Rice, who was a white actor, painted his face with charcoal and then danced and sang in a funny way.

Marriage and Family

Laws banned interracial relationships.

Early Klan - Nathan Bedford Forrest

Nathan Bedford Forrest was a very rich slave owner before the civil war. He was a great general and known as the 'wizard' of the saddle. Responsible for the massacre of 200+ black soldiers at Fort Pillow. He formed a club in 1866 (lasted until 1871) with other ex-confederate soldiers. This became the KKK.

Rutherford B Hayes

President in 1877. Did not enforce the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments nor those who treated blacks unfairly. People created laws to restrict the rights of African Americans.

Education

Separate schools for black children but not as nice.

Jim Crow laws

The laws lasted from 1876-1965 (89 years). They were based on the idea that blacks were inferior to whites in intelligence, morality and civilised behaviour. They felt violence was permitted to enforce these laws.

Lynching

The most extreme method of enforcing the laws were lynchings. There must be evidence someone was killed; The killing must have occurred illegally; 3 or more people must have taken part in the killing; The killers must have claimed to be serving justice or tradition.

Focus / aims of early klan

To keep the black community at the bottom of the social hierarchy and to return to the slave-based economy. They tried to stop black people from voting and from making a life for themselves.

Modern Klan

formed after the second klan died down (as a result of racist attitudes becoming inappropriate). Made up of poor southerners who are lonely and aren't successful.

Considered black if...

you were 1/8 black (one great grandparent)