KluxKlan. The selection of the name, chance though it was, had a great deal to do with theearly success of the Klan. Something about the sound of the name aroused curiosity andgave the fledgling club an immediate air of mystery , as did the initials KKK, which wouldsoon take on a terrifying significance. Soon after the founders named the Klan, they decided to do a bit of showing offand so disguised themselves in sheets and galloped their horses through the quiet streets oflittle Pulaski. Their ride created such a stir that the men decided to adopt the sheets asthe official attire of the Klan. They later added to the effect by making grotesque masksand wearing white pointed hats. The founders also performed elaborate initiationceremonies for new members. Their ceremonies were similar to the hazing popular incollege fraternities and consisted of blindfolding the candidate, subjecting him to a seriesof silly oaths and rough handling, and finally bringing him before a “royal altar” where hewas to be inducted with a “royal crown”. The altar turned out to be a mirror and thecrown to be two large Donkey’s ears. Ridiculous though it sounds today, that was thehigh point of the earliest activities of the KKK. If that had been all there was to the KKK, it probably would have disappeared asquickly and quietly as it had been born. But at some point in early 1866 the club, enlargedby new members, began to have a chilling effect on blacks. The intimidating night rideswere soon the centerpiece of the hooded order: bands of white-sheeted ghouls paidlate-night visits to black homes, telling the terrified occupants to behave themselves andwarning them that they would come back if their orders were not obeyed. It didn’t takelong for the threats to be converted into violence against blacks who insisted on exercisingtheir new rights and freedom. Before its six founders realized what had happened, the KuKlux Klan had b...
