Racism in America Part two America 1919 to 1939

Aims of the lesson By the end of this lesson you will Understand what we mean by lynch law and assess its importance Describe the main features of the Ku Klux Klan Evaluate the importance of the Klan in understanding America in the 1920s

Background After World War One America followed a policy of isolationism She withdrew from world affairs Foreign goods had tariffs charged on them The US government started to restrict the number of people coming into the country As a result immigrants and non white people began to be blamed for all Americas troubles

Lynch Law Many racist people were willing to use violence in order to get over their views Lynching – where a mob kills someone because they think they have committed a crime Would beat their targets before killing them Only black people targeted Mainly in the south – easier to escape punishment

The Ku Klux Klan A racist group Argued that the only true Americans were White Anglo Saxon Protestants (WASPs) Any others – Jews, Catholics, blacks and immigrants were not proper Americans members in members in 1925

Who joined the KKK? A secret society – members dressed in white robes and wore masks Spoke in secret codes – Klonversations Poor whites – blamed blacks for taking jobs Wealthy politicians People in the south with a history of hatred towards black people – even the police

What did the KKK do? Tortured and killed non WASPs Burned down homes and churches even with people in them Beat up or lynched anyone who annoyed them – 1882 to 1968 there were 3400 lynching of black people Set up burning crosses as their symbol in order to intimidate people or to say “we did this”

Was the Klan punished? Many policemen, politicians, lawyers and Judges were members of the Klan Most crimes were not even reported let alone punished Some people were punished in areas that the Klan did not control After 1925 its numbers fell but it still exists today