Ku Klux Klan

Origins

The Klan had its beginnings in the post–Civil War town of Pulaski, Tennessee. Six Confederate officers, Calvin Jones, Frank McCord, Richard Reed, John Kennedy, John Lester, and James Crowe, returned home to Pulaski to find their previous way of life destroyed and the local economy in ruin. These young men decided that they would organize a club. One of the first orders of business was to have a proper name for the club. Many suggestions were made of which “The Pulaski Social Club” and “The Merry Six” were but a few. Most of the young men had attended college and were familiar with Greek. One suggested “Kluklos” because it bore the meaning of a close circle of friends. As they played with the words, it became “Klu Klux.” As there was and still is a strong Scottish ancestry in the area, the word “Clan” was suggested. They all agreed that “Ku Klux Klan” possessed a strange potency. So, for the lack of a Moose Lodge or a Rotary or Elks Club, the Ku Klux Klan came into being. It was officially incorporated and the plaque on the exterior of the office, still visible today, but turned backward so it cannot be read, stated the following:

The Klan meetings were held in the evenings, and the costumes worn by the members were out-landishly garish. Unlike the plain white sheet, the Klan uniform that has become so commonplace, these costumes were hand-made of various colors and configurations. The men would ride through the streets in the evenings saying nothing, communicating only through bells and whistles. This intrigued other young men in Pulaski, and it was not long before nearly all were clamoring for entry into the Klan. To enhance the mysterious image of the Klan, strange names were given to the positions within the Klan. These names included Klaliff for vice-president, Klokard for lecturer, Kludd for Chaplain, and Klabee for treasurer.

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