The Ku Klux Klan Act represented a major civil right accomplishment of President Ulysses Grant. That is, by 1871 the racist ideology that was prevalent in both North and South undermined efforts to protect the rights of Freedman. Grant was the greatest champion of African-Americans until Lyndon Johnson.

 

Founded in 1865, the KKK grew from a secret social fraternity to a paramilitary force that wanted to undermine the federal government’s progressive Reconstruction Era reforms in the South. The KKK, a collection of white racist groups (including many Confederate veterans) employed violence to prevent Reconstruction. The KKK engaged in terrorist raids against African-Americans and white Republicans. They used destruction of property, assault, and murder to achieve their aims.

 

As a consequence of the Ku Klux Klan Act, the government could place counties under martial law and arrest thousands of Klan members. Also, the Federal army was placed in key areas to protect the lives of African-Americans and white Republicans who were working to educate them.  This act did much to dismantle the KKK. The subsequent KKK that gained prominence in the 1920’s was not related to the KKK of the post Civil War era.

 

Starting with the 1877 Compromise that led to election of President Hayes, the North turned their backs on Freedman. In 1882 the U.S. Supreme Court declared the Ku Klux Klan Act unconstitutional.  However, by that time Reconstruction had ended. Even worse the South began enacting Jim Crow Laws that emasculated many of the Rights that had gained under Reconstruction. Also, the Supreme Court made a series of decisions that took the bite out of the 14th and 15th Amendment.