The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)"In world history, those who helped build the same culture are not necessarily of a single race, and those of the same race have not all participated in a single culture. In scientific language, culture is not a function of race” (Benedict). is defined as the act of perceiving and making obvious the distinctions between two different groups of people. Many groups have been very discriminatory, but the one that stands out like a diamond in the coal is the Ku Klux Klan The original Ku Klux Klan. was established, in April 1866, as a social organization for ex-Confederates in Pulaski, Tennessee. This was after the Civil War, known as the Reconstruction period (Benet). comes from the Greek word kuklos, which means band or circle (Benet's). The Ku Klux Klan spread very quickly in the South and quickly received the nickname "Invisible Empire" (Ingalls). The Ku Klux Klan has been referred to by many different terms such as The Klan or KKK. In 1867, Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, a former Confederate cavalry leader, and many other ex-Confederates came together and converted the social group into one opposed to Republican state government (Trelease). Nathaniel Bedford and many common members of the group, the Klansmen, formed this group for three reasons. They wanted white supremacy to remain evident, to ensure that the black community did not revolt, and to ensure that they remained “in their place” (Trelease). Klan members came from all economic social classes, but leaders generally came from the elite professional class (Trelease). The Klan was and still is present in America and Canada (Ingalls). The hierarchy of the KKK was set at the April 1867 (Columbia) meeting. At this meeting, Nathaniel Bedford Forrest was named Grand Wizard, which meant he was the leader of all the (Columbia) clans. One step lower than the Great Wizard was the Great Dragon (Columbia). A Great Dragon and his Kingdom controlled each state (Columbia). The Kingdoms were composed of eight Hydras, which served as a staff for the Great Dragon (Columbia). Below the Great Dragon were the Great Titans with their six Furies who controlled each county (Columbia). These rankings classified the duties of each member. The Ku Klux Klan us...... middle of paper ...... caused more damage by parading through the city. The Ku Klux Klan, above all other groups, is a very discriminating group. The KKK attempts to spread hatred and prejudice. In the 20th century, the truth came out and the KKK's power and membership declined very rapidly in recent years. In this millennium, it is very important to focus on the peace and unity that was established as the norm in the late 20th century. Work Cited "Blacks clash with Klan marchers in Jasper, Texas." Jet July 13, 1998: 14-16. “Hate turns out not to be colorblind. » The Week Society multimedia almanac. Minneapolis, The Learning Company, 1998 CD-ROM. Ingalls, Robert P. “Ku Klux Klan.” Multimedia World Book Encyclopedia. World Book, Inc., 1996, “Ku Klux Klan.” Benet Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature. 1st ed. New York: Harper Collins Pub., 1991. 574. “Ku Klux Klan.” The Columbia Encyclopedia. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Columbia University Press, 1993. 20869. “The KKK.” Times Magazine Multimedia Almanac. Minneapolis, The Learning Company, 1998 CD-ROM.Trelease, Allen W. “Ku Klux Klan.” The Reader's Companion to American History, 1991 ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co..., 1991. 625.