Started during Reconstruction at the end of the Civil War, the Klan quickly mobilized as a vigilante group to intimidate Southern blacks – and any whites who would help them – and to prevent them from enjoying basic civil rights. Outlandish titles (like imperial wizard and exalted cyclops), hooded costumes, violent “night rides,” and the notion that the group comprised an “invisible empire” conferred a mystique that only added to the Klan’s popularity. Lynchings, tar-and-featherings, rapes and other violent attacks on those challenging white supremacy became a hallmark of the Klan.
Turning to modern-day politics, the Imperial Wizard of the Virginia KKK explains why his group backs Donald Trump for president, saying “…The reason a lot of Klan members like Donald Trump is because a lot of what he believes in, we believe in…”
