“Ever since the abolition of the slavery in the United States, sections of its white population have continued to believe in the superiority of the white race and resent the participation of the blacks in society and politics as equals. Various groups, organizations and societies have been formed since the end of the American Civil War ranging from white supremacist hate and terror groups to relatively harmless “all-white” social clubs. The most influential and oldest group is the Ku Klux Klan that was formed in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Although it is difficult to strictly categorize phases in the history of such a secretive organization as the Klan, it is generally agreed that there have been three distinct Klan eras in the past and we are perhaps in the midst of the fourth. There have been times in the US history when the Klan has enjoyed widespread membership and influence especially in its first and second phases.”