What Did The Ku Klux Klan Do And How Did It Decline?

White people joined the Ku Klux Klan for various reasons. They feared of blacks and immigrants taking their jobs and disliked un-American institutions such as the Roman Catholic Church and communists. The excitement of mystery, codes, secret ceremonies and gowns associated with the Klan also attracted members. Sadism appealed to those who like inflicting pain on others. Those who were very strongly Nationalist and believed in white supremacy also joined.

During the height of their activities, the Klan were said to have carried out four murders, intimidated witnesses and juries, performed 41 floggings (1 branded with acid), five kidnappings, lynchings, whipping, burning crosses and intimidation. Despite these horrible crimes, the Klan tended to get away with them because of fear of reprisals, they were hard to identify because of their white gowns, too many powerful people were members and they had too many sympathisers in the rural south.

It was only when the Klan leader of Indiana, in 1928, D.C Stephenson was found guilty of abducting, raping and manipulating a young girl. Americans were outraged, turned against the Klan and its membership collapsed.

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