THE FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS
By Weston
Burning crosses, white hoods, and innocent black lives lost. These are the unforgivable acts of the KKK, more formally known as the Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux Klan, with its long history of violence, is the most infamous, oldest, and most terrifying of American hate groups.
The KKK is not only wrong; it is a group that will never be forgiven for its acts of violence throughout the Civil Rights movement. Although black Americans have typically been the Klan's primary target, they have also attacked Jews, immigrants, gays and lesbians, and, until recently, Catholics. During the second rise of the KKK, the Civil Rights movement was up and moving. The Civil Rights movement was a struggle for social justice for African Americans and other marginalized groups that took place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s, one of the main goals of which was for blacks to gain equal rights under the law in the United States. Hate crimes, death threats, and random lynchings enacted all over the South by the KKK came in response to African Americans trying to stand up for their rights.
For example, while visiting family in Money, Misisipi, 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American from Chicago, was brutally murdered by the KKK for allegedly flirting with a white woman four days earlier. Only a few years later, the Freedom Riders, a group that peacefully rode buses in order to protest segregation, were bombed inside their bus. Following this monstrosity, a year later, the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed by four members of the KKK, resulting in four little girls' lives lost. Fortunately, I got to go experience a ceremony at the 16th Street Baptist Church. The spirituality is incredible in the church; it brings you joy to know that the bombing did not affect the love and spirit in the church. This church is different from others because everybody is family and everybody loves each other.
These are only few of the KKK hate crimes that happened throughout the Civil Rights movement. These acts were threats to all African Americans, trying to scare them into to laying off marching and fighting for equal rights. Throughout my travels in the Deep South, I also got to see a real-life KKK uniform. As I looked at this uniform, I was speechless. The only thoughts I had was, “How could a man be so cruel as to wear this uniform?” Throughout the trip, I got to have powerful and saddening experiences, but it all gave me a feeling of awe for what the Deep South was like during the Civil Rights movement, and what people had to endure.
The KKK is not only wrong; it is a group that will never be forgiven for its acts of violence throughout the Civil Rights movement. Although black Americans have typically been the Klan's primary target, they have also attacked Jews, immigrants, gays and lesbians, and, until recently, Catholics. During the second rise of the KKK, the Civil Rights movement was up and moving. The Civil Rights movement was a struggle for social justice for African Americans and other marginalized groups that took place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s, one of the main goals of which was for blacks to gain equal rights under the law in the United States. Hate crimes, death threats, and random lynchings enacted all over the South by the KKK came in response to African Americans trying to stand up for their rights.
For example, while visiting family in Money, Misisipi, 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American from Chicago, was brutally murdered by the KKK for allegedly flirting with a white woman four days earlier. Only a few years later, the Freedom Riders, a group that peacefully rode buses in order to protest segregation, were bombed inside their bus. Following this monstrosity, a year later, the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed by four members of the KKK, resulting in four little girls' lives lost. Fortunately, I got to go experience a ceremony at the 16th Street Baptist Church. The spirituality is incredible in the church; it brings you joy to know that the bombing did not affect the love and spirit in the church. This church is different from others because everybody is family and everybody loves each other.
These are only few of the KKK hate crimes that happened throughout the Civil Rights movement. These acts were threats to all African Americans, trying to scare them into to laying off marching and fighting for equal rights. Throughout my travels in the Deep South, I also got to see a real-life KKK uniform. As I looked at this uniform, I was speechless. The only thoughts I had was, “How could a man be so cruel as to wear this uniform?” Throughout the trip, I got to have powerful and saddening experiences, but it all gave me a feeling of awe for what the Deep South was like during the Civil Rights movement, and what people had to endure.