The United States of America, a fairly young state, contains a large number of dramatic and secret pages. One of the most critical moments in the country's history was the civil war that broke out between the free North and the slave owners of the South. It began in 1860, when relations between the two parties heated to the limit. In the North, many influential parties emerged that supported the implementation of radical democratic reforms, one of which was the abolition of slavery. The movement was headed by A. Lincoln, who was elected president. But the conservative forces of the South did not support him and declared war on the democrats. The bloody confrontation lasted 4 years and, having claimed more than half a million lives, ended with a formal surrender and the signing of a peace treaty in 1865. Thus, slavery was abolished, the black population received freedom and constitutional rights. However, the racial confrontation did not end there. In the South, there were a significant number of secret organizations that were involved in organizing and conducting terrorist acts against military personnel who defended the rights of the black population. Among these organizations, in particular, were the "Blue Lodges", "Social Union", "Sons of the South". However, the most widespread were the "Knights of the Golden Circle", whose number reached 115 thousand people. But during the war, most of these organizations disappeared for some reason.

After the end of the war, the process of Reconstruction of the South began. Of course, there remained many people of different social status who were dissatisfied with the emancipation of the slaves. This, in fact, was the reason for the emergence of a new anti-black organization.

It was an organization with an incomprehensible and magical name, the Ku Klux Klan, which was formed on December 24, 1865.

In the small town of Pewlaski, Tennessee, six former officers have gathered: Calvin Jones, James R. Crowe, John D. Kennedy, John S. Lester, Richard Reid, and Frank O. McCord. They decided to create a secret society, which was supposed to protect the "lost justice", that is, the patriarchal order that existed in the South. It was also important to come up with a special name for the organization, which would emphasize the connection between society and the traditions of secret societies of the past. This is how the "Kuklos-clan" came about (the first word in translation from Greek means "circle" - the favorite symbol of the conspirators, and the second - the English word clan, that is, the tribal community).

However, the conspirators did not stop there and, wishing to give the name even more mystery, slightly modified the spelling of the words. This is how the Ku Klux Klan came about.

After the formalities were over, the officers decided to celebrate the founding of the society with horse races at night. And so that it was unusual and remembered for a long time, both officers and horses were dressed up with ghosts. This is how the organization's official clothes appeared - white sheets and white bags with slits for the eyes on their heads.

Despite the fact that the members of the organization behaved quite peacefully and did nothing wrong, everyone who had to meet with this strange procession was terribly frightened. It was the blacks who felt the most fear. The fact is that they were extremely superstitious, so they believed that they saw the souls of the murdered southerners in front of them. This reaction of the Negroes made the officers very happy. Therefore, for several weeks, they organized such processions every night, knowing full well that such an innocent joke could be used for more serious purposes.

The night races brought some results, and very soon the crime rate dropped significantly in the places where they were held. Therefore, there was no need to apply at that time. The members of the organization were confident that it would be enough for black criminals to see him. However, soon their confidence was noticeably shaken when one night a group of blacks opened fire on them. The Kukluksklan members decided that next time they would also go for a night walk with weapons. This led to the fact that a small provincial town at night turned into a real battlefield, and blacks were no longer just scared, but killed. At the same time, white clothes helped the white to remain unrecognizable. At the beginning of 1866, 22 Negroes were burned alive while they were in a prison in the town of Kingstree. In this case, one of the "ghosts" was wounded. There was no more myth about the extraterrestrial existence of the riders. And members of the society began to dress in red and black.

By the spring of 1866, rumors of the Clan's existence had spread to virtually all of the southern states. Its popularity among the population has increased. Many representatives of both aristocrats and poor people united in groups, put on white robes and went to "put things in order." And soon, most of these small groups rallied around the Ku Klux Klan. Then the problem of managing the organization arose. One of the first people the members of the society wanted to see as a leader was General Robert Lee, but he refused, motivating his refusal with poor health and a promise not to oppose the northerners. Then the clan members turned with the same proposal to General Nathan Forrest, who with great pleasure agreed to become the head of the organization.

He received the title of "Great Magician" and was officially appointed to the post in April 1867. At the same time, the first congress of the organization took place, at which the charter and constitution of the clan were adopted. The order itself was called the "Invisible Empire", and its members - "knights".

The charter stated that the main task of the clan was to provide support to the white population. The main enemy of the organization was recognized as loyal leagues that provided assistance to the black population, who had recently gained freedom, and defended their rights. In addition, blacks who served in the police force, corrupt officials, and the so-called "carpetbaggers", South residents who supported the Republican Party, were named among the enemies.

During the congress, the structure of the organization was determined. It was headed by the "Great Magician" and a council of ten "geniuses". The country was divided into "kingdoms", each of which was headed by "great dragons" and eight "hydras". Each "kingdom" was divided into "domains", which were ruled by the "great titans" and "furies". The "domains" were divided into "lairs" with the "great cyclops" and "night hawks". Each "lair" contained "caves" with "ghouls". At the same time, uniforms were adopted - white, red, black or striped robes and caps with slits for the eyes. Sometimes the caps could be decorated with horns.

Thus, the organizations that existed up to this point have come together in a powerful structure with clearly defined political goals and strict discipline.

Due to the fact that Forrest was widely known among the population, the size of the organization grew very quickly. Clan members increasingly beat and maimed those people who, in their opinion, violated the laws they established. However, at first they tried not to resort to murder.

The members of the organization operated in small mobile groups, which included from several dozen to several hundred people. In most cases, they limited themselves to warning, but sometimes they also arranged fast trials - lynching, which ended with hanging. Despite the fact that the victims of the clan members sometimes became innocent people, as well as the fact that very often their actions were illegal, they tried to distance themselves and their organization from ordinary bandits who acted only to get rich. The clan's goal was more noble and, in the opinion of its members, could bring many benefits to society. Therefore, a real hunt was started on the bandits. However, the official government was not interested in this. For them, all violations of law and order were associated with the Clan, so the organization was defined outside the law. Armed clashes broke out between government troops and members of the community.

By 1869, the situation became even more complicated. It could no longer be controlled by either the government or the leadership of the clan. In such a situation, Forrest even gave the order to arrest and even execute those members of his organization who violated the rules established by the charter of the order. But this order was ignored, so Forrest decided to leave the organization. The scale of the terror perpetrated by the members of the clan was amazing, because, according to the statements of the member of the House of Representatives Wilson, from the moment of its creation to the early 1870s, about 130 thousand people were killed ... And only in 1871, when the government began to resort to mass arrests clan members, the situation was stabilized a little.

At the same time, the oppression of the black population continued, but by officially permitted methods. Racists became active in politics and occupied most of the seats in the legislature. As a result, a large number of documents appeared that, without contradicting the American constitution, limited the political rights of blacks. The very same organization called the Ku Klux Klan in the late 1870s ceased to exist.

But in 1915 it was revived. This was done by the preacher Williams Simmons, who was inspired by a painting about the era of Forrest and white noble men who defended the traditions of the South - "The Birth of a Nation."

In the early 1920s, the organization reached four million members. But their activities were directed not only against blacks, but also against immigrants, communists, Jews and even some Catholics. At its core, the newly formed organization was the American version of fascism.

In addition, the struggle for sobriety was an important component of the clan's activities. The Ku Klux Klan has supported government measures to combat alcohol. They even independently found bootleggers (in other words, moonshiners) and destroyed clandestine taverns, poured alcohol, and doused especially malicious violators with tar and dumped them in feathers.

The clan's activities faced great obstacles when the financial crisis of 1929-1933 began. But the order was officially disbanded in 1944. Attempts to revive the clan were made in 1946, but three years later the movement split again. The secret of such a development of events turned out to be extremely simple: it was all about America's domestic politics. When the "red danger" was pushed away from the country, the need for such kind of organization was dropped for a while. Moreover, the clan members were carried away by the struggle against the traitors, and already opposed the representatives of the white administration, and this was not at all part of the government's plans.

Nevertheless, attempts to revive the clan were made in the 1960s, when the most radical members of the organization fought against sexual minorities, and at the same time destroyed other civil rights activists. But then the clan members again went too far with activity, and they were again banned.

A new surge in the organization's activity came in the 1970s, when certain small racist groups, using terror, tried to fight against the black population, who defended their rights. But then the FBI turned out to be at its best, which in a short period of time arrested the most active clan members.

Currently, the Ku Klux Klan remains an active member of "civil society". Members of the movement claim that they no longer resort to violence, but are only engaged in protecting Christianity and their cities from criminals and immigrants. Most of the clan members are civilian militia. There are about 250 thousand of them. Approximately 100-150 thousand are members of illegal and semi-legal organizations. From time to time, these organizations are closed, and the leaders of the "white movement" are imprisoned for long periods.

To date, there are officially about 5 thousand people in various groups of the clan. However, the real number of those who support the movement and actively participate in the life of the clan reaches more than one million people. The official number only says that various anti-fascist and other colored organizations and movements are suing the clan members. We are talking about millions of dollars. In order to reduce these payments, the official society intends to underestimate its number, in order to thus quite legally reduce to a minimum ship payments (citing the small number and poverty of the organization).

One of these lawsuits was the case of Jordan Groover. In 2006, four members of the "Imperial Ku Klux Klan" movement in the small town of Brandenburg, located in the state of Kentucky, allegedly carried out missionary activities (but for some reason at night). On the way, they met a sixteen-year-old Indian teenager. Not really thinking about the correctness of their actions, the "missionaries" beat him, then doused him with alcohol, tried to burn him alive. But the boy was lucky, a police car was passing by. As a result, Jordan's life was saved, and the clan members were imprisoned for three years. In their defense, they said during the court proceedings that the boy himself tried to attack them. And this is for healthy men, two of whom were under two meters in height and weighed over a hundred kilograms, while the boy's height did not even reach 160 centimeters, and his weight was 45 kilograms.

In addition to imprisonment, the organization itself was fined - the "Imperial Ku Klux Klan" had to pay $ 1.5 million to Grover himself, and in addition, another $ 1 million to the state treasury.

In 2010, the leader of the "imperial clan" Pastor Ron Edwards and his wife were arrested. He was charged with possession and distribution of methamphetamine. The clansmen assured that the drugs were planted on them by the FBI. But then the pastor managed to get off with just house arrest.

Another such case, but with a much more deplorable ending, occurred in 2011, when one of the most active members of the clan, Lawrence Brewer, was executed in Huntsville prison. In 1998, he, along with two of his accomplices, brutally massacred a black man, James Byrd. He was lured into a car, taken to a deserted place and tortured. Then they handcuffed him to the car and dragged the body until the man died.

Many people ask the question: how is it that such an organization, which is accepted by many exclusively as a relic of the era, is revived again and again? And everything is very simple - from time to time it is required by the official authorities. And under the name "Ku Klux Klan" there is not one, but several conspiratorial organizations at once. The largest of these is the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, which operate in Arkansas. The organization is headed by Pastor Tom Robb. The Clans have strong legal support from the American Civil Liberties Union. But at the same time, it has not yet been possible to achieve the former scope of the organization. However, the clan members are not discouraged, claiming that numbers are not the most important thing for them. It may well be that the Ku Klux Klan will have a long life, because the organization is needed by many ...

Materials used:
http://www.calend.ru/event/4657/
http://www.vokrugsveta.ru/telegraph/history/1083/
http://www.velesova-sloboda.org/right/ku-klux-klan.html
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D1%83-%D0%BA%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%81-%D0%BA%D0%BB % D0% B0% D0% BD

Ku Klux Klan- a dark horse in the history of the United States of America, a secret organization that arose in the 19th century and defended ultra-right positions.
Based on the principles of the community, it can be called racist and terrorist. The original goal of the brotherhood was to restore white supremacy, to save the state from the invasion of Africans.

The birth of the organization should be attributed to December 24, 1865. The founders of the society were Judge T.L. Jones and several veterans of the Civil War (1861 - 1865): Reed, Kennedy, Leicester, McCord and Crowe.

There are several versions of the explanation of the name of the secret brotherhood: 1st - from the Greek word "kuklos" - a wheel or circle, "clan" - the concept of a tribal community among the inhabitants of Ireland and Scotland; 2nd - from the Latin "cucullo", which means a hood; 3rd explains that this concept sounds like the characteristic clang of a rifle.

The coat of arms of the organization.

History has several such organizations that existed at different times in the United States. The first of them did not prosper for long: from 1865 to the early 1870s, it numbered about 550,000 people. The appearance of the famous white costumes, which consisted of a terrifying conical headdress, mantle and mask, dates back to this period. At first, representatives of the secret movement practically did not use extremist methods, and their actions were of a deterrent nature. Very often they had fun, running around the city in white sheets, thereby instilling fear in the local population.

Knights of the "Invisible Empire" against the background of their symbol - a cross engulfed in fire.

Later, members of the society began to kill, but at first they sent strange tags (grains of oranges and melons, or twigs of oak leaves) warning of imminent death, in case the victim does not renounce his beliefs and does not stop the activities that are objectionable to the clan. Not only the black population of America was killed, but also those who supported them. Every year the organization strengthened its position, and its methods of struggle became tougher and tougher: they maimed, burned, drowned, hung, while acting very clearly and without prying eyes.

The new Ku Klux Klan appeared in 1915 and existed until 1944, the number of members of which, according to various sources, ranged from 3 to 6 million. It was the representatives of the revived society who invented the main symbol of the organization - the burning cross. They fought to grant special status and rights to citizens of the United States, whose ancestors won the War of Independence (1775 - 1783). The Knights of the Invisible Empire opposed the minority rights movement. The Brotherhood's "Black List" included not only Africans, but also communists, Jews, newly arrived immigrants, as well as government officials.

28But I

What is the Ku Klux Klan

Ku Klux Klan(in English Ku Klux Klan) or, as it is called in abbreviated form - KKK, it is a secret organization with a strict hierarchy and rules, which was created by the American racists in the middle of the nineteenth century to establish the rule of the white race.

Ku Klux Klan. These words still evoke disgust and hatred among most African Americans, and many whites too. They originated in the days when people of color had little or no rights. Although slavery has long been outlawed, some people continued to defend the idea of ​​total superiority over other races. And so the Ku Klux Klan appeared.

In total, there were three incarnations of the Ku Klux Klan. Initially, the KKK was just one of many similar organizations created after the defeat of the Southerners in the civil war.

Why did the Ku Klux Klan come into being? Reasons for appearance and activity:

Many white Americans could not come to terms with the abolition of slavery and the established order. The soldiers could not return to a peaceful life and tried to continue the fight. This outrage helped the creators of the clan find many followers. Their activities were aimed at expelling "non-whites" from the country, cruelty and ruthlessness flourished. At the same time, the ritualism of the KKK appeared. This helped intimidate victims and rally supporters.

A warning was sent to the future victim in the form of an oak wreath or pits of fruit like an orange. If a person did not manage to escape after that, the clan's adherents in snow-white robes and pointed caps would come and administer their "justice". Until 1870, when the clan officially ceased to exist, a huge number of nightmarish crimes were committed.

In 1915, under the slogan “ America for White Anglo-Saxons Protestant"The second incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan received the right to official activity.

Due to the increasing influence of emigrants on the cultural values ​​of Americans, and not without the influence of the film " The birth of a nation»The organization managed to gather hundreds of thousands of followers. Traditions were strengthened, the illusion of unity and sublimity was created. It was getting harder and harder to fight the activity. All the followers acted in masks and among them there were often very influential people. The police were "infected", and whoever you turned to for help during the day came in the evening in white robes to come to you.

Fortunately, things began to decline during World War II and the Great American Depression - the KKK weakened, but did not disappear.

Quite recently, or rather in the 70s of the last century, the KKK began to revive. The number of followers doubled in a short time, murders and arson returned. But not everyone was deceived this time. The clan was beheaded, dozens of organizers, both the Ku Klux Klan and other racist groups, were convicted.

The Illuminati at different times called orders, fraternities, organizations and sects that professed occultism and mystical philosophy, as well as those who were in opposition to the ruling power and religion. The most famous such example is the Bavarian Illuminati Society, founded in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, professor of jurisprudence at the University of Ingoldstadt. Weishaupt was a follower of deism - a doctrine that recognizes God and his creation of the world, but denies religious dogmatism and divine revelation. Deists believed that higher powers do not interfere in the course of events, and that their plan can only be known by enlightening the mind. This categorically denied the teachings of the church, which provoked the creation of the Order of the "enlightened".

The society was closed - they could get into it not on recommendations (as in a Masonic lodge), but exclusively through recruitment (although it was not forbidden to belong to both the Illuminati and the Masons at the same time). In 1784, the Order was already banned in Bavaria, and three years later, attracting new followers was declared a crime for which the head was cut off.

For almost 100 years, the Illuminati went underground, as Kevin Hathaley recounts in his study.

The official revival of the Order took place in 1896 in Dresden. Throughout its existence, various accomplishments have been attributed to him - from fomenting the French Revolution to the creation of the United States and the October Revolution in Russia. Due to the fact that the symbol of the Illuminati - the All-Seeing Eye over the unfinished pyramid - is depicted on the US state seal and one-dollar bill, the development of various "conspiracy theories" about the shadow participation of the Order in world politics and economics does not stop.

Who is not considered the Illuminati today - from Justin Bieber, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga to Queen Elizabeth II. Conspiracy experts say that the brotherhood is not yet ready to come out of the shadows. Accordingly, their actual existence is a rather controversial issue.

Opus dei

The organization Opus Dei (Latin - "The Work of God") was founded in 1928 by the Spanish Catholic priest Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer. As the researchers describe this moment: "During the spiritual exercises, he saw with complete clarity the mission that God had predetermined for him: to open in this world the path of consecration of professional work and daily activities." The purpose of the organization is to help believers find holiness in their daily lives by bringing divine awareness to their work.

For a relatively short history of its existence, Opus Dei had many admirers and opponents, although he was widely known by the mention in the book "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. Despite the fact that many of the facts in it (and in the film later) turned out to be fictional, which the writer did not deny, the society developed some negative impression of the organization and began to accuse it of sectarianism. What is Opus Dei doing today?

First, its followers strive to inspire believers that religion is not only a mass, rituals and prayers, but also every moment of their lives.

So, on the official website of the organization opusdei.us it is said that its spiritual practice is based on Escriva's book "The Way" - a collection of 999 prayers, meditations and discourses. It involves daily prayers, reading the Bible, participating in Mass, weekly "brotherly conversations" with spiritual mentors. With the latter, by the way, they discuss their successes, failures and plans for the subsequent spiritual life, which stands on three pillars - self-denial, attracting new members and abstinence.

In order to become a member of the organization, a person who wishes will need 6 years - this is how long the "test line" of the seriousness of his intentions lasts. In addition, you need to be prepared for censorship (many books that are even studied in Catholic educational institutions are unofficially prohibited in Opus Dei) and celibacy (for those who wish to fully devote their lives to the apostolate). For those who wish to understand in detail the issues of whether the organization is elite, what is its financial situation and whether its followers practice "mortification of the flesh", a precautionary FAQ page has been created. It follows from this that the Opus Dei society is not that secret, but rather closed.

Trilateral Commission

The Trilateral Commission was founded in 1973 by American banker David Rockefeller and Harvard University professor Zbigniew Brzezinski. Initially, there were three parties to the organization - North America, Western Europe and Japan, and the purpose of their meetings was to promote cooperation and solve common problems in these regions. Conspiracy theorists suspect the commission of trying to establish a monopoly and world political power in their interests. Therefore, their activities are also associated with the so-called "new world order".

Despite the ostentatious openness of the organization, for a long time it was very problematic to find out anything about its activities.

Despite the ostentatious openness of the organization (it also has an official website - trilateral.org ), for a long time it was very problematic to find out anything about her activities. According to conspiracy researcher Jordan Maxwell's book " Matrix of Power: How the World Has Been Controlled by Powerful People Without Your Knowledge", In 1991, David Rockefeller allegedly gave a speech at a meeting in Germany, in which he mentioned:" We are grateful to The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine and other major publications whose directors attended our meetings and respected their promise to keep for almost forty years ”. Today, on the site you can get acquainted with the annual reports of the commission and even read the books of its members. The latter, for example, is devoted to Russia (Engaging Russia: A Return to Containment) and the policy that the Trilateral Commission should pursue towards Moscow.

In recent years, the organization's geography has expanded: for example, the Japanese group has become the Pacific Asian group, adding members from India and China, Mexico has become part of the North American group, and the Western European group is cooperating with the European Union.

Skull and Bones

The Skull and Bones Order was founded in 1832 by Yale University alumnus William Russell following the example of the German Euroology Club that inspired him. Some even consider Skull and Bones to be its American subsidiary. The purpose of the Order is to prepare outstanding university students for leadership in all spheres of society. Its most famous members today are two George W. Bush (senior and junior), as well as John Kerry. It is noteworthy that people from the Order are always in the government apparatus, the Supreme Court, and many of them later become outstanding athletes or leaders of public organizations.

The brotherhood receives only 15 people annually. Previously, only white men of traditional orientation, aristocratic origin and professing Protestantism could become them.

In the lastthe same years "Skull and Bones" opened its doors to people of different races, religions, gender and orientation.

Entry into the ranks of the fraternity is shrouded in secrets: according to some sources, applicants were stripped, beaten, put in a coffin and forced to tell stories about their sex life; according to others, the "tomb" was a fraternity room where newcomers were jokingly kicked and forced to drink wine from a plastic skull.

Whatever the initiation, the Washington Post review mentions that the member of the Order is the "arithmetic mean" between Forest Gump and the character of the Woody Allen film of the same name Zelig: he manages to "light up" in all important historical moments. For example, members of the fraternity were at the forefront of the development of the atomic bomb and were able to influence the fact that it was tested in Japan. They also helped shape US Cold War policy. Today, there are representatives of Skull and Bones on the Council of International Relations, as well as on the Trilateral Commission.

Ku Klux Klan

The Ku Klux Klan is a notorious ultra-right American organization that championed the ideas of white supremacy and white Nazism. The clan was founded by southern soldiers after the Civil War in 1861, but did not last long. He experienced the second wave of popularity after 1915 - then white suits and caps appeared, created to intimidate the black population. After World War II, the clan stepped up to fight against the civil rights of minorities. The organization is known for many racist terrorist attacks against white Republicans who support equality of rights.

Today the clan still exists - its headquarters are located in the town of Harrison, in Northern Arkansas. Its current leader, Pastor Tom Robb, 66, calls himself the clan's national director. The pastor says the movement has a new slogan: "Legacy, not hate." The preacher and his daughters, who are active in educational work, are sure that genocide was planned against the white population. Despite the "rebranding" of the clan, its ideology remains unchanged, and the director seeks to treat the organization as a political party.

According to experts, today the clan consists of about 5 thousand people. Those who live nearby come to the weekly preaching meetings. For others, the Pastor, together with his daughter Pendergraft, created the online show White Pride TV (in which, by the way, grandson Pastor Andrew). Usually performances begin with the phrase "This is a clan, and this is true", and end with "Be white and be proud."

Bilderberg club

The Bilderberg Club was founded in 1954, and got its name from the Bilderberg Hotel in the Dutch town of Osterbek, where the first meeting of the club took place. Since then, the conference has been held annually, bringing together about 100 people from the influential elite - government, media, banking and business. The club is approximately equally divided among Americans, Europeans and Asians, and admission to its meetings is possible only by personal invitation.

The dates for convening meetings are never advertised, and the organization of the meeting and the safety of its participants is ensured by the country in whose territory they are gathering (the last, for example, was held in Austria). It is surprising that there is no press at the meetings: reports on the issues raised and their decisions are not published anywhere, and it is strictly forbidden to make statements to the media. And the meeting itself becomes known only after its completion, although a large number of the most influential people in the world flock to the host country, accompanied by their "retinue" - secretaries, bodyguards, servants.

The founder of the club is considered David Rockefeller, but sources mention this in passing, emphasizing that he is also the person who established the Trilateral Commission.

Among the participants who attended the meetings of the organization, there are Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, King of Spain Juan Carlos I, Robert McNamara, Zbigniew Brzezinski.

The BBC calls the Bilderberg Club "shadow government". It also cites one of the rarest interviews that club members sometimes give - with the former European Commissioner, Viscount Etienne Davignon: “I do not believe that we are the world's ruling class, because I do not believe that such a class exists at all. It seems to me that just some people who have influence are interested in communicating with others like that. " And yet an interesting pattern emerges: at club meetings, people often appear who in a very short time become world political leaders. This happened with Bill Clinton, who joined the organization in 1991 as governor of Arkansas, and also with Tony Blair, who visited it two years later, while still in opposition. In addition, almost all "recent" presidents and members of the European Commission have been invited here to meet before their appointment.

01

There are three main versions of the origin of the name of this organization. You probably know one of them. According to her, "Ku Klux Klan" is the sound of a distorted rifle bolt. But there are other theories of the origin of the three K. The second version insists that the name comes from the Greek word "kuklus", which means "wheel", "circle". According to the third version, the name came from the Latin word "kukulo" - "hood", and it is the main attribute of the clothes of the Kukluksklan members.

02

It is customary to distinguish three large periods in the life of the Ku Klux Klan. The KKK was born in 1865 after the American Civil War and was initially more of a circle (or, if you prefer, a secret society) of interests, which did not pose high-profile political tasks. However, more and more radical people and organizations gradually joined it, and at the time of its dissolution in 1871, according to some estimates, more than 2 million people were members. The Ku Klux Klan experienced its rebirth in 1915. Added to the traditional enemies of the KKK were Jews, homosexuals, trade union leaders, federal officials, and popular rights activists. After World War II, the organization broke up into small groups that did not have a single leadership. The third birth in the mid-70s was marked by a new enemy: the communists and leaders of the left-wing trade unions. Until now, both in the United States and in other countries, there are organizations using the symbols and ideology of the Ku Klux Klan. But today they are disunited and do not pose a particular threat.

03

In the first version of the Ku Klux Klan, there was a complex subordination structure that worked extremely ineffectively, but its members wore very colorful titles: "Great Sage", "Genius", "Great Dragon", "Hydra", "Great Tyrant", "Fury", "Great Giant", "Great Magus", "Great Treasurer", "Vampire" and others. In general, if you do not know where to get a nickname for a video game, ask the KKK member.

04

Before the attack, the “first convocation” of the “first convocation” Klans were even generous in some ways. They sent their victim some kind of sign, such as an oak branch, orange pits, or melon seeds. This meant that the person was given a chance to leave in an amicable way or to give up their beliefs.

05

Sherlock Holmes also faced the Ku Klux Klan. In Arthur Conan Doyle's story "Five Orange Seeds", the American characters who moved to England die under strange circumstances, having received messages in the form of orange seeds with the signature "KKK".

06

In their free time from racism, the KKK members threw parties, barbecues and even went in for sports. In the 1920s, they had several baseball teams. In 1925, a match of such a team took place against the Manrovians team, which consisted entirely of black players. The latter, by the way, won with a score of 10: 8. To avoid clashes and controversy, the match was judged by Catholic priests.

07

In the 1920s, Soviet scientist Ilya Ivanov, a specialist in interspecific crosses, tried to develop a hybrid of a man and an ape to prove the theory of evolution. For this purpose, he contacted Rosalia Abrau, a Cuban woman who owned a chimpanzee nursery. When the KKK members found out about this, they decided not to allow the experiment and promised to attack the nursery if Rosalia accepts the offer. But this courageous woman (although perhaps just very curious) agreed to the Soviet scientist. It is not known how all this would have ended, but, as often happens in our history, Ivanov fell under political cleansing, was sent into exile, where he died.

08

Superman delivered a powerful ideological blow to the organization revived in the 20th century. In 1946, a series of comics was released, and then a radio series about a superman who fought the Clan of the Fire Cross. The Klan was easily recognizable as the Ku Klux Klan. No one wanted to become the enemy of the country's most popular hero, and it became difficult for the KKK to attract new members to its side, and many of the organization's members thought about the correctness of their actions (although they could just find kryptonite).

09

David Duke, who headed the Louisiana branch of the Ku Klux Klan from 1974-1975 to make money, published How to Find and Keep the Man of Your Dreams under the pseudonyms Dorothy Vanderbilt and Dames Conrad. The book for women contained advice on fashion, cosmetics, diet, relationships, and sex. In particular, there David called oral sex "night snack".

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In 1994, in Missouri, the Ku Klux Klan applied for maintenance of a section of the highway. Among other things, this means that the organization can install its own signs on the highway. The state administration refused the application, but in 2000 the organization achieved its goal through the court. The only thing the state could do was to name this section of the road the name of Rosa Parks, a black girl who fought against segregation. In 2012, the Klans stopped monitoring the track, and the contract with them was terminated.