The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a white supremacist hate group that has a long and notorious history in the United States. The organization was founded in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee, by a group of Confederate veterans. The Klan originally sought to resist Reconstruction efforts after the Civil War and to maintain white supremacy in the South.

The KKK quickly became known for its use of violence, intimidation, and terror tactics against African Americans, as well as against other groups such as immigrants, Catholics, and Jews. Klan members wore white robes and hoods to conceal their identities while committing acts of violence, such as lynchings, beatings, and property destruction.

During the Reconstruction era and into the early 20th century, the Klan played a significant role in perpetuating racial segregation and disenfranchisement of African Americans through tactics such as voter intimidation and suppression. The Klan also targeted civil rights activists and leaders, such as Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King Jr., for assassination.

While the KKK experienced periods of decline and resurgence throughout the 20th century, the organization continues to exist in various forms today, promoting white supremacist ideology and perpetuating hate crimes. The Klan remains a symbol of racial hatred and domestic terrorism in American history.