he origin of the Ku Klux Klan was a carefully guarded secret for years, althoughthere were many theories to explain its beginnings. One popular notion held that the KuKlux Klan was originally a secret order of Chinese opium smugglers. Another claimed itwas begun by Confederate prisoners during the war. The most ridiculous theory attributedthe name to some ancient Jewish document referring to the Hebrews enslaved by Egyptianpharaohs. In fact, the beginning of the Klan involved nothing so sinister, subversive, orancient as the theories supposed. It was the boredom of small-town life that led six youngConfederate veterans to gather around a fireplace one December evening in 1865 andform a social club. The place was Pulaski, Tennessee, near the Alabama border. Whenthey reassembled a week later, the six young men were full of ideas for their new society.It would be secret, to heighten the amusement, and the titles for the various officers wereto have names as preposterous-sounding as possible, partly for the fun of it and partly toavoid any military or political implications. Therefore, the head of the group was called the Grand Cyclops. His assistant wasthe Grand Magi; there was to be a Grand Turk to greet all candidates for admission, aGrand Scribe to act as secretary, Night Hawks for messengers, and a Lictor to be guard. The members, when the six young men found some, would be called Ghouls. But theremaining question was what to call the society itself. The founders were determined tocome up with something unusual and mysterious. Being well-educated, they turned toGreek. After tossing around a number of ideas, Richard R. Reed suggested the word“kuklos”, from which the English words “circle” and “cycle” are derived. Anothermember, Captain John B. Kennedy, had an ear for alliteration and added the word “clam”.After tinkering with the sound for awhile, the group settled on calling itself the Ku...
