The Ku Klux Klan (KKK)"Throughout the history of the world, those who helped build the same culture do not necessarily belong to one race, and those of the same race have not all participated in a single culture. In scientific language, culture is not a function of race" (Benedict). The sad fact is that many races are discriminated against. Discrimination is defined as the act of perceiving and making clear distinctions between two different groups of people. There have been many groups that have been very selective, but the one that stands out like a diamond in coal is the Ku Klux Klan. The original Ku Klux Klan was formed, in April 1866, as a social organization for ex-Confederates in Pulaski. , Tennessee. This occurred during the period following the Civil War, known as the Reconstruction period (Benet's). The name Ku Klux Klan comes from the Greek word kuklos, meaning band or circle (of Benet). The Ku Klux Klan spread very quickly in the South and soon gained the nickname "Invisible Empire" (Ingalls). The Ku Klux Klan has been referred to by many different terms such as The Klan or KKK. In 1867, Nathaniel Bedford Forrest, a former Confederate cavalry leader, and several other former Confederates held a meeting and converted the social group into one that opposed the Republican state government (Trelease). Nathaniel Bedford and many ordinary members of the group, the Klansmen, formed this group for three reasons. They wanted to keep white supremacy evident, make sure the black community didn't riot, and make sure the black community stayed in "their place" (Trelease). Klansmen came from every economic social class, but leaders usually came from the elite professional class (Trelease). The Klan was and still is present in both America and Canada (Ingalls). The KKK hierarchy was established at the April 1867 meeting (Columbia). At this meeting, Nathaniel Bedford Forrest was made Grand Wizard, which meant he was the leader of all the clans (Columbia). One step below the Grand Wizard was the Grand Dragon (Columbia). A Great Dragon and his Kingdom controlled each state (Columbia). The Kingdoms were composed of eight Hydras, who served as the staff of the Great Dragon (Columbia). Under the Great Dragon were the Great Titans with their six Furies who controlled each county (Columbia). These charts classified the tasks of each of the members. The Ku Klux Klan we... middle of paper ...... did more damage parading through the city. The Ku Klux Klan, above all other groups, is a very discriminating group. The KKK seeks to spread hatred and prejudice. Now, in the 20th century, the truth has come out and the power and membership of the KKK has declined very rapidly in recent years. In this millennium it is very important to focus on the peace and unity that were set as the standard at the end of the 20th century. The work cited “Blacks Confront Klan Marchers in Jasper, Texas.” Jet July 13, 1998: 2-4 p.m. “Hate turns out not to be color blind.” The Multimedia Almanac of the Social Week. Minneapolis, The Learning Company, 1998 CD-ROM. Ingalls, Robert P. "Ku Klux Klan." Multimedia world book encyclopedia. World Book, Inc., 1996."Ku Klux Klan." Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature. 1st ed. New York: Harper Collins Pub., 1991. 574."Ku Klux Klan." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Columbia University Press, 1993. 20869."The KKK." Times Magazine Multimedia Almanac. Minneapolis, The Learning Company, 1998 CD-ROM.Trelease, Allen W. "Ku Klux Klan." The Reader's Companion to American History, 1991 ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1991. 625.