5. The Rise of White Supremacist Terror
During Reconstruction, groups like the Ku Klux Klan emerged, unleashing a campaign of terror against African Americans and their allies. Through lynching, arson, and threats, these vigilantes sought to suppress Black political participation and civil rights, instilling fear in entire communities. While state laws targeted Black Americans openly, white supremacist groups enforced racial hierarchies through extralegal violence, often with the silent approval of local authorities. Learn more about this era at History.com.
