The Third Era of the Ku Klux Klan (1951-1979)
"If a black man can get away with killing a white man,
we ought to be able to get away with killing a black man."
we ought to be able to get away with killing a black man."
- Bennie Hays, the second-highest ranking official in the Klan in Alabama
The third era of the Ku Klux Klan occurred during the Civil Rights Movement. The Klan attempted to intimidate African-Americans to keep them from gaining rights. They also targeted whites who helped blacks. The strength of the Klan used violence which slowed down the process of desegregation.
Civil Rights Movement
Brown v. Board of Education (1954-1955)
The Brown v. Board of Education desegregated public schools. The Ku Klux Klan began to recruit members in an effort to combat Brown v. Board of Education. When the Supreme Court started the desegregation process, the Ku Klux Klan threatened and intimidated blacks.
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16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in Birmingham, AL
On September 15, 1963, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four young girls. This was one of many violent actions the Klan took. The Klan still believed that all races and religions were meant to be separate.