Origins of the Ku Klux Klan

The Klan had three evolutions in its history as it evolved and altered its methods, tactics, and expanded its focus. All three movements have called for the purification of American society and all are considered far-right extremist organizations. During each period of the Klan's existence, the official membership was secret and estimates of the total numbers of members was unknown and they were highly exaggerated by both friends and enemies alike. The first Klan was founded in Pulaski, Tennessee on December 24th, 1865 by six former officers of the Confederate Army. They were Frank McCord, Richard Reed, John Lester, John Kennedy, J. Calvin Jones, and James Crow. It started innocuously as a fraternal social club inspired at least in part by the then largely defunct Sons of Malta, perceived as an offshoot combined of the old Knights Templar and Teutonic Knights. The KKK adopted many of the initiation rites and formal ceremonies of those previous organizations with the same purpose of fraternity, solidarity, and most of all political power, which today in hindsight is laughable as well as tragic. The official KKK manual describing these rituals was printed by Laps Dee McCord of Pulaski, Tennessee. The Klan also needed a distinguishing uniform, which later in their history would become notorious, robes, and hence their adopting the Spanish Caporote hood. Former Confederate Brigadier General George Gordon, for whom Fort Gordon, Georgia was named for, developed the prescript, which supported the superiority of white society and culture and adopted and taught white supremacist beliefs. They created the ranking system, and at the top of the KKK was the Imperial Wizard, or the National President. Below this were the Grand Dragons, who governed an individual state called a realm. Then there were the Grand Majes, or Deputy Commanders, and then the Grand Cyclops, responsible under the Grand Dragons for establishing and maintaining recruitment standards. Below them were the Clegals, who were managed and who were responsible for recruiting and vetting of new members. The rest of the members were the Klansmen, or the Foot Soldiers, and Enforcers. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest was elected the first Imperial Wizard and stated that he was the Klan's national leader. Forrest was very concerned about the Republican influence growing among the blacks in the South.