Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan was founded in 1866 by confederate civil war veterans; Captain John C. Lester, Major James R. Crowe, John D. Kennedy, Clavin Jones, Richard R. Reed, and Frank O. McCord. The Ku Klux Klan extended to almost every southern stare by 1870. The Klan first emerged following the Civil War as America's first true terrorist group. They focused their anger and violence on African_ Americans, on white americans who stood up for them, and against the federal government which supported their rights. Subsequent incarnations of the Klan, which typically emerged in times if rapid social change, added more categories to the enemies list: Jews, Catholics, homosexuals, and different groups of immigrants.
There was high association with criminal activity, ranging from hate crimes to acts of domestic terrorism. At least 10% of the black legislatures elected during the 1867-1868 constitutional conventions became victims of violence during reconstruction. The most dangerous zones of Klan activity was South Carolina where in January 1871 500 masked men attacked the union county jail and lynched 8 black prisoners.