Module Information

This Special Subject will explore the conflicts arising from the growth of the First Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction Era and its lasting impact in the politics and culture of the United States into the early 20th century. It will analyse the development of this terrorist organization, examining how its members sought to reassert white supremacy in the post-bellum South through violence and intimidation. Furthermore, this module will also examine the campaigns of those who sought to oppose them and the experiences of the ordinary Americans targeted by vigilante violence. More broadly, this module will employ the rise and fall of the Reconstruction Klan as a lens to understand broader conversations in American society during this period relating to race, politics, society, and identity. By examining a range of primary sources and engaging with the historiographical debates on this topic, students will develop a deeper understanding of American history.

This Special Subject aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the history of the First Ku Klux Klan and the broader political and social processes taking place in the aftermath of the American Civil War. By engaging with the secondary literature and examining a broad range of primary sources produced by supporters and opponents of the Klan – including newspapers, oral testimony, illustrations, Congressional reports and fictional accounts – students will develop a detailed knowledge of the history of the First Klan and the Reconstruction Era. This module will examine the period between 1865 and 1915, and will serve as the foundation for its co-requisite module in the second semester.