The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is an American white supremacist hate group that was originally founded in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee. It is known for its racist violence, especially against African Americans, but also opposing Jews, Catholics, immigrants, and other minorities. The KKK emerged as a secret society of Confederate veterans opposed to the Reconstruction era efforts to grant civil rights and voting rights to Black people after the Civil War. The Klan often used terror tactics such as lynching, intimidation, and night-time raids, with members wearing white robes and hoods to conceal their identities. It played a major role in intimidating Black voters and civil rights activists, especially in the Southern United States. The original Klan disbanded in the 1870s, but it experienced a resurgence in 1915, expanding its targets and membership nationwide, peaking in the 1920s with millions of members. It declined during the Great Depression but became active again during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The KKK is widely regarded as a terrorist organization, infamous for promoting white supremacy, racism, anti- Semitism, anti-Catholicism, and other forms of extremism. Despite efforts to suppress it through law enforcement and legislation, various Klan groups still exist today, though with significantly reduced influence and membership compared to its peak periods.