Topic > Racist movement of the 1920s: Ku Klux Klan

The most popular Ku Klux Klan movement is the one emphasized in the southern states of the United States and focused on white men expressing racism towards black men and acting accordingly in violent way ways. It may not be as well known as the KKK of the South, but the Pacific Northwest went through a phase around the 1920s that was based on the main tenets of the KKK's typical intentions, but included a broader mix of minorities to hate against. . “Along with the wartime climate of mistrust and apprehension and the economic chaos caused by the locations in which the Ku Klux Klan flourished. Discontent in the South after the Civil War gave rise to the original Klan, which faded after a decade or two. A second Klan arose in 1915 and borrowed rituals and doctrines from its predecessor. But his targets now included not only the blacks singled out for persecution by the original Klan, but also Catholics, Jews, and immigrant groups” (Schwantes, 375). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay "The Klan entered Oregon from California in 1921 capitalizing on fears generated by World War I. Spreading rapidly, it established branches in Portland and numerous outlying communities. By the mid-1920s, its members numbered between fourteen and twenty thousand, with numerous sympathizers adding to his influence” (Schwantes, 375). At the beginning of the book Schwantes talked about all the different groups of immigrants who had come to live in the new land work, curiosity, or escape. These groups of people included Hawaiians, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, African Americans, etc. There were several groups of people occupying the Pacific Northwest, which made it easy for acts of racism and hatred to occur l 'towards each other. And as you can see, not only skin color was the main focus, but also things like religion and belief. Catholics and Jews were also persecuted, due to the political domination of the Republicans at the time. “The Republican Party dominated politics in all three Pacific Northwest states throughout the decade. Republicans held all elected state and congressional offices in Idaho. They also controlled Washington, where Roland H. Hartley, a petty, anti-labor lumber baron from Everett, served as governor from 1924 to 1932 and set the period a rancorous political tone” (Scwantes, 374). During this time there were several political leaders in the Pacific Northwest states who supported the KKK and its movements. This included Kaspar K. Kubli, the speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, Walter M. Pierce, governor of Oregon, and Washington state legislator Homer T. Bone. This certainly helped the movement gain momentum and more followers during this period (Schwantes, 374-377). Another reason why the KKK gained support is because of the ideas they proposed and gained support from people in positions of power regarding states. “In 1922, together with the Freemasons, Klansmen led an initiative to outlaw private and parochial schools, which they saw as the main obstacle in their drive toward Americanism and national conformity. Such schools were run by numerous groups, particularly Roman Catholics. The Klan's weapon was an initiative that, if approved by Oregon voters, would require all children between the ages of eight and eighteen to attend public schools. The rallying cry of its sponsors was "A flag!". A school! One language!' Opponents invoked the American tradition of free choice, but this a.