The White League primarily operated in Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina, where white supremacist groups sought to maintain control of the political system and prevent African Americans from exercising their newly gained rights. The organization used intimidation, violence, and fraud to suppress African American voting, disrupt Republican political meetings, and undermine the authority of the Republican-led state governments.
The White League often collaborated with other paramilitary groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, and its members were known for their use of violence and intimidation tactics, including assassinations, lynchings, and property destruction. Their actions contributed to the ongoing racial violence and oppression in the South during the Reconstruction era.
Knights of Camellia: The Knights of Camellia was another white supremacist paramilitary organization active in the South during the Reconstruction era. It was particularly prominent in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Similar to the White League, the Knights of Camellia aimed to maintain white dominance and prevent African Americans from exercising their political and civil rights. The organization used secretive practices and disguised members to carry out acts of violence and intimidation against African American leaders, Republican officials, and white Southerners who supported Reconstruction.
The Knights of Camellia employed various methods to achieve their objectives, including assassinations, shootings, whippings, and property damage. They often targeted leaders of the Republican Party and African American communities who advocated for civil rights or challenged the existing social order.
As a result of their violent and intimidating actions, the Knights of Camellia contributed to the suppression of African American rights, the undermining of Reconstruction efforts, and the perpetuation of white supremacist power structures in the South during this period.