Hear me when I say that we have always been the most hated race in America! If you are living in a fantasy world and think otherwise, then you need to wake up. If we have learned anything in the last few years, it is that racism and discrimination are still alive. Have Black people made historical moments? Yes, but we have not made it, not even close. As we continue to navigate our way through life, we must never forget the most hateful group in America, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
Founded as a terrorist organization towards the end of the United States Civil War (1865), the KKK used fear tactics against African Americans who were free. The main purpose of the KKK was to push White Supremacy as the “political and social” order for the south. There were rights that were put in place to protect African Americans, but the KKK did whatever they could to strip those rights away through violence. The KKK would beat, lynch, burn crosses, bomb places, terrorize the homes of African Americans, and so much more. They also did whatever they could to block African Americans from voting. Does this sound familiar?
The mission of the KKK was accomplished with the creation of the Jim Crow Laws (1875-1965) that made segregation legal. See, the KKK wanted us to be afraid of them simply because they were afraid of us. They feared a race that was so powerful. If only we could realize it.
You may not see the KKK walking the streets in their White sheets and White hoods, but don’t fool yourself, they are still there. Angelia Williams Graves, a city council member, who spoke at an NAACP luncheon a few years back said, “Modern racist have taken off their white hats and white sheeted robes and put on police uniforms. Some of them have put on shirts and ties as policy makers, and some of them have put on robes as judges.” When it comes to police officers, this makes sense because so many of them have put so many of our people behind bars. At the end of 2018, “There were 1,501 Black prisoners for every 100,000 Black adults,” according to the Pew Research Center. Sadly, this data does not include Black inmates who are behind local jail cells.
The more Black people they lock up, the more Black votes they can count out. Also, if you lock up our Black males, they can not reproduce, which is what they want. With police, there have been too many police brutality incidents in the last few years alone, and sadly, many deaths have happened because of this. We will never forget the execution of George Floyd that happened on May 25, 2020, by Derek Chauvin. That incident alone shocked the nation, but I don’t understand why. White people have been killing Blacks since slavery. This is just the truth finally being recorded.
One organization outside the KKK are the Oath Keepers. They are a far-right antigovernment group, which was founded in 2009. They are the “Guardians of the Republic.” Their organization consists of “tens of thousands of present and former law enforcement officials and military veterans. This could explain why there’s so much violence against Blacks, especially from those in uniforms. It’s amazing how some White people can go on a shooting spree and kill dozens of people, and yet walk away without a bruise or a scratch. So, the police do their part by either locking us away or killing us, and then if we make it alive to the courthouse, the judge does his or her part by putting us away for a long time.
In 1981, Michael Donald was beaten, killed, and then lynched because the KKK “wanted to send a message to the Black community.” There was a Black man by the name of Josephus Anderson who was tried for killing a White police officer. The case ended in mistral, which only added fuel to the fire for the KKK. Incidents like this was the only justification the KKK needed to kill an innocent Black man. A life for a life. The mother of Michael Donald, Beulah Mae Donald sued the United Klans of America for $10 million. “She was awarded $7 million by an all-white jury and the killers were convicted.” It was noted that her case bankrupted the United Klans of America. This act of bravery was bold and dangerous but fighting for her child meant so much more.
Another group was the Dixiecrats (1948), who were a segregationist political party in the United States. Though they were short lived, their mission was to promote White supremacy and segregation. A more recent group is called the Proud Boys. Founded in 2016, they are far right and love to engage in violence, and their organization is exclusive to men. Over the years, they have gained national attention from their rallies and from being mentioned in a presidential debate in September 2020. They also played a prominent role in the January 6, 2021, U.S. capitol riot.
Please note that if it was a bunch of Black people who stormed the capitol engaging in violence, we would have been shot and killed. Trump has even given his approval of organizations like the Proud Boys, and this only enhance their mission. In a previous debate, Trump was asked “if he was willing to condemn White supremacists and militia” groups. President Biden interrupted and mentioned the “Proud Boys”’ to be specific. Trump stated, “Proud Boys stand back and stand by.” Not once did Trump condemn their violence or actions. Organizations like the KKK, Dixiecrats, Oath Keepers, and the Proud Boys are still very active. If they could have it their way, they would hang and lynch us.
These groups have not gone anywhere, some of them are just wearing a different uniform.
