Crockett’s KKK Claim: A Historical Misstep

U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett claimed the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) aligns with the Republican Party, suggesting a link to violence.

Historically, the KKK emerged in 1865 as a Democratic resistance to Reconstruction, aiming to suppress Black political and economic equality. By the late 20th century, many Southern Democrats shifted to the Republican Party due to the “Southern Strategy,” which capitalized on racial tensions.

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However, the KKK’s original formation and early activities were predominantly associated with Democrats.

Crockett’s statement oversimplifies this complex historical realignment, misrepresenting the KKK’s current political affiliations.

The KKK’s influence has waned, and it no longer holds significant party alignment, though its legacy of hate persists independently of modern party politics.