Wow, I thought this kind of thing was done away with years ago

[--Pete]

Hi,

Wouldn't it be more reasonable to say that, by a couple more steps and a couple more generations, that the race riots of the '60s were generated by slavery?

Yes and no. In the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, the racial tensions that would develop where at most weak. However, the reconstruction plans which would strip almost all of the Southern men (and this was before woman's suffrage) of the vote, the influx of Northern 'carpet baggers', and the blatant purchasing of black votes led to strong feelings. In many cases, blacks who had fought for the Confederacy (and there were many) were not denied their citizenship while whites who claimed not to have fought (and how does one prove a negative?) were. Had the more forgiving plan of Lincoln been followed, perhaps the injustices would have been avoided and a less hostile relationship might have been generated between the races. But then, perhaps not.

Also a question: was the KKK really not a racially motivated organization from day one? It would be rather remarkable to me if it wasn't - reconstruction was one thing, but the biggest single change in the post-Civil War south was the end of slavery, and the nominal end of legal white supremacy. Restoration of those "rights" would have been at the very top of their agenda, wouldn't it? I don't know much about the topic, so maybe I'm wrong, but I'd like to see something that says otherwise.

Not from day one, but probably from day two. It is a very complex subject and it is difficult to get to the truth. Most accounts available today are more politically than historically correct. However benign the start of the KKK might have been, it soon turned into an organization of evil and hatred and has so remained throughout its history.

--Pete