The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) originated in the United States after the Civil War. It was founded in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1865, by six former Confederate Army officers. The KKK's original purpose was to terrorize and suppress African Americans, who had recently been freed from slavery. The Klan used violence, intimidation, and economic coercion to prevent African Americans from exercising their civil rights, including the right to vote and hold office. The KKK also targeted other groups, including Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.