Ku Klux: The Birth of the Klan During Reconstruction

Subject

Resources

Description

The first in-depth, critical study of the Klan's origins since the 1970s, Ku Klux traces the Klan's origins to a group of six bored ex-Confederates in Pulaski, Tennessee in May or June of 1866, who wished to establish a secret society similar to the Freemasons or Odd Fellows.

The book corrects previous widespread misconceptions and presuppositions regarding the early history of the Klan, for example the belief that it was highly structured from its inception. On the contrary, Parsons, professor of history and a published author at Kent State University, based upon a close and detailed examination of the original (yet meager) sources, argues instead that the original Klan was a local organization, loosely structured along the lines of a fraternal order, and which drew from the lore and vocabulary of such secret societies, as well as popular mid-19th century dramatic and minstrel traditions and which did not begin to proliferate and spread to other counties and states until late 1867 or early 1868. Nor, from the best available evidence, did the incipient Pulaski Klan group exhibit violent tendencies; while certainly racist, it was nevertheless only as the Klan began to be noticed and proliferate throughout Tennessee in 1867-1868 that it realized that it could intimidate freedmen and their while Republican allies via acts of violence. In particular, Parsons argues that it was only as reports of these incipient Tennessee Klan groups' mysterious yet menacing activities began circulating in Northern newspapers that whites across the South then began founding their own Klan groups.

Creator

Parsons, Elaine Frantz

Publisher

University of North Carolina Press

Date

Contributor

Lee Freeman

Rights

Images are available for educational and research purposes. This image may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the interested party to identify the copyright holder and receive permission.

Format

Jpeg

Language

English

Type

Still Image

Files

Ku Klux.jpg
Ku Klux Back Cover.jpg

Collection

Citation

Parsons, Elaine Frantz, “Ku Klux: The Birth of the Klan During Reconstruction,” Shoals Black History, accessed April 25, 2024, https://shoalsblackhistory.omeka.net/items/show/1158.