The Civil War And Reconstruction - 1448 Words

The largest threat to African Americans with after the Civil War and Reconstruction was the Ku Klux Klan. The KKK was founded in 1866, and extended into almost every southern state by 1870. The organization became a vehicle for white southern citizens to deny Republican Party’s Reconstruction-era policies whose ideas, that tried establishing political and economic equality for African Americans. The KKK flourished in some regions in the South where, African Americans were a minority of the population. The KKK also targeted any individual or organization that would support minatory groups. Even at its height, the KKK was not a well-organized organization or had a clear leader. The organization’s members where all types of people ranging†¦show more content†¦The strongest act that was passed was the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. This act provided some protection for the African Americans and made all KKK rituals and crimes a federal offense, as said in history.com ’s Klu Klux Klan article, â€Å"The Ku Klux Klan Act designated certain crimes committed by individuals as federal offenses, including conspiracies to deprive citizens of the right to hold office, serve on juries and enjoy the equal protection of the law.† This law did help combat the oppression in the South, but the oppression never fully ended. From the early 1870s onward, white supremacy gradually died down. However, there still were many oppression supporters by the end of 1876, even though, the entire south was under Democratic control once again. Despite all the positive changes in the South, oppression still existed and the KKK still managed to harm many African Americans. The African American people learned how to avoid the racism, and oppression. Within the First World War, much of the focus was taken off of African Americans. The prejudice never fully stopped, but the culture became more prevalent. This is most seen in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. The 1920s was a great time for many cultures, and social classes in America, and African Americans benefited greatly. The Harlem Renaissance took place from 1920 to 1935 at a time in which African American cultures flourished. Many African Americans were moving into big ci ties where they