Explore the Reasons for the Resurgence of the Klu Klux Klan in 1920s America
Explore the reasons for the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan movement in 1920s America and the political changes it caused.
In the 1920s North America experienced a huge rise in immigrants from black, Hispanic and Jewish backgrounds. For the most part they settled in slums, took on poorly paid work and lived lives far removed from most white middle class families. Many traditional northern and southern white Americans were uneasy with this sudden influx and it helped create social tension, particularly in the southern states.
The Ku Klux Klan had virtually disappeared for the last part of the 19th century, so the widespread and violent resurgence of the movement took many by surprise. In its earlier incarnation, it had been only African-Americans who the Klan targeted. This time there was much more civil unrest due to the many new members of society who didn’t fit the American stereotype of white, protestant, heterosexual family man. The new arrivals included Jews, Catholics, Hispanics, Asians and homosexuals. Previously the Klan organised mainly in the southern states of America but in the the 1920s, it was the first time that the Klan had been seen in the northern states. This could explain why the movement gained so much popularity: North America was associated with liberalism and free and fair politics but at the time, these attitudes were being distorted. Even some of the most respected politicians started to show racist tendencies. The president Woodrow Wilson, during his his administration, segregated federal officers and inter-racial marriage was declared a felony. Later he declared himself part of the Klan. As people used the central Government of the US as a guideline for morality and ethical opinion, the fact that the president himself encouraged negative propaganda against minorities only further propelled the movement. At its height the movement had between four a five million members. Another reason for the KKK’s resurgence is that many
In the 1920s North America experienced a huge rise in immigrants from black, Hispanic and Jewish backgrounds. For the most part they settled in slums, took on poorly paid work and lived lives far removed from most white middle class families. Many traditional northern and southern white Americans were uneasy with this sudden influx and it helped create social tension, particularly in the southern states.
The Ku Klux Klan had virtually disappeared for the last part of the 19th century, so the widespread and violent resurgence of the movement took many by surprise. In its earlier incarnation, it had been only African-Americans who the Klan targeted. This time there was much more civil unrest due to the many new members of society who didn’t fit the American stereotype of white, protestant, heterosexual family man. The new arrivals included Jews, Catholics, Hispanics, Asians and homosexuals. Previously the Klan organised mainly in the southern states of America but in the the 1920s, it was the first time that the Klan had been seen in the northern states. This could explain why the movement gained so much popularity: North America was associated with liberalism and free and fair politics but at the time, these attitudes were being distorted. Even some of the most respected politicians started to show racist tendencies. The president Woodrow Wilson, during his his administration, segregated federal officers and inter-racial marriage was declared a felony. Later he declared himself part of the Klan. As people used the central Government of the US as a guideline for morality and ethical opinion, the fact that the president himself encouraged negative propaganda against minorities only further propelled the movement. At its height the movement had between four a five million members. Another reason for the KKK’s resurgence is that many