The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a white supremacist hate group that has targeted African Americans throughout its history. It was founded in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee, following the Civil War, and aimed to intimidate and oppress newly freed Black people. The KKK employed tactics such as lynching, violence, and terror to maintain white supremacy and uphold racial segregation in the United States.

The KKK experienced several waves of popularity and influence throughout American history, with notable resurgences in the 1920s and during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Members of the KKK have been responsible for numerous acts of violence and terror against Black individuals and communities, as well as other minority groups.

The KKK's ideology is rooted in racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia, and it continues to promote white supremacist beliefs to this day. Despite facing legal challenges and being denounced by many, the KKK remains active in certain parts of the United States, perpetuating hatred and bigotry.