Between 1865 and 1872, a racist group called the Ku Klux Klan terrorized the Southern United States. They targeted former slaves and their supporters with violence, harassment, and even murder. This reign of terror went on because local governments often didn't stop it, or even joined in. President Ulysses S. Grant decided to take action. He asked Congress to pass laws that would give the federal government more power to protect people from violence when their own states wouldn't or couldn't. These laws, called the Enforcement Acts, were a big deal because they were the first time the U.S. government had taken such strong steps to fight violence within its own borders. To understand this better, Anna Hickey, a writer for a legal website, talked to Fergus Bordewich, who wrote a book about Grant's fight against the Klan. They discussed how Grant's administration dealt with this early form of domestic terrorism, how the Klan used terror as a political tool, and what lessons we can learn from this dark chapter in American history. In short, this is a story about a violent racist group, a determined president, and the fight for racial justice in the aftermath of slavery. It's also a reminder of the importance of protecting people from violence and the challenges of doing so, even within a country. I hope this is easier to understand! Let me know if you have any other questions.
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