First established in the 1860s, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a right-wing white protestant American organization that seeks to preserve the purity and supremacy of white Christian America. Jews, African Americans, immigrants, and homosexuals are regarded by the KKK as threats to this mission, and its activities have included propaganda, protests, and violence against these groups during its various waves of activity. The KKK continues to exist today, albeit in a diminished and fragmented form. However, Klan activity is believed to be increasing in a backlash to economic instability and perceived threats to white Christian values.