Fact Check: Democrats formed the KKK, fought integration, created sundown laws, and placed Asian Americans in internment camps, not Republicans.

The Claim: "Democrats formed the KKK, fought integration, created sundown laws, and placed Asian Americans in internment camps, not Republicans."

Introduction

The claim that "Democrats formed the KKK, fought integration, created sundown laws, and placed Asian Americans in internment camps, not Republicans" presents a historical narrative that attributes various forms of racial discrimination and violence to the Democratic Party. This assertion invites scrutiny, particularly regarding its historical accuracy and the context in which these events occurred.

What We Know

1. Ku Klux Klan (KKK): The KKK was founded in 1865 in the aftermath of the Civil War, primarily as a reaction to the Reconstruction efforts led by the Republican Party to integrate formerly enslaved people into society. While the Klan included many individuals who were Democrats, it was not officially founded by the Democratic Party itself. Historical sources indicate that the Klan aimed to intimidate Black citizens and suppress their political participation, which aligns with the interests of certain white Democrats of that era 679.

2. Sundown Laws: These laws were local ordinances that enforced racial segregation by prohibiting non-white individuals from being in certain areas after sunset. While many sundown towns had ties to the KKK and white supremacist groups, the laws themselves were enacted at local levels, often with the support of local white populations, which included members from various political affiliations 5.

3. Internment of Asian Americans: During World War II, the U.S. government forcibly relocated and interned around 120,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens. This action was primarily justified by wartime hysteria and racial prejudice rather than a specific political party's agenda. The internment was supported by both Democratic and Republican administrations, making it difficult to attribute this solely to one party 8.

4. Resistance to Integration: Resistance to civil rights and integration efforts has historically been a complex issue involving individuals from both major political parties. The KKK and other white supremacist groups actively opposed integration, but these groups did not represent the entirety of the Democratic Party or its policies over time 410.

Analysis

The claim presents a simplified narrative that attributes significant historical injustices solely to the Democratic Party while absolving Republicans of similar actions. This perspective may stem from a selective interpretation of historical events and affiliations.

• Source Reliability:

  • The AP News article 6 provides a fact-checking perspective that clarifies the origins of the KKK, emphasizing that it was not officially founded by the Democratic Party. This source is credible as it is a well-established news organization known for its journalistic standards.
  • The History.com article 7 also offers a historical overview of the KKK, noting its role in resisting the Republican-led Reconstruction efforts. This source is generally reliable but may present a more generalized narrative that lacks detailed citations.
  • The USA Today fact-check 9 critically examines the claim about the Democratic Party's involvement in founding the KKK, providing a balanced view that acknowledges the complexities of historical affiliations without oversimplifying them.

• Conflicts of Interest: Some sources, particularly those with a clear ideological slant, may present a biased view of historical events. For example, the article from the Social Justice Survival Guide 8 aims to highlight the Democratic Party's historical ties to racism but may selectively emphasize certain facts while downplaying others.

• Methodological Concerns: The claim lacks specific evidence linking contemporary political identities to historical actions. The political landscape has evolved significantly since the 19th century, and the affiliations of political parties have shifted over time. This context is crucial for understanding the current political dynamics.

Conclusion

Verdict: Mostly False

The claim that "Democrats formed the KKK, fought integration, created sundown laws, and placed Asian Americans in internment camps, not Republicans" is mostly false due to its oversimplification of complex historical events. While it is true that many individuals associated with the KKK were Democrats and that sundown laws were often supported by local populations that included Democrats, these actions cannot be solely attributed to the Democratic Party as a whole. The KKK was not officially founded by the Democratic Party, and both major political parties have been complicit in various forms of racial discrimination throughout history.

Moreover, the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II was a bipartisan action, reflecting broader societal prejudices rather than the agenda of a single political party. The resistance to integration and civil rights was also a multifaceted issue involving members from both parties.

It is important to recognize the limitations of the evidence available, as historical narratives are often subject to interpretation and can be influenced by contemporary political contexts. The claim's framing lacks nuance and fails to account for the evolving nature of political affiliations over time.

Readers are encouraged to critically evaluate information and consider the complexities of historical events rather than accepting simplified narratives that may serve specific ideological purposes.

Sources

1. Civil Rights in America: Racial Discrimination in Housing. https://planning.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/op/publication/attachments/Civil_Rights_Housing_NHL_Theme_Study_final.pdf
2. TARGETING WHITE SUPREMACY IN THE WORKPLACE. https://law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/29.1-LeRoy_107-158.pdf
3. Labor History in the United States. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/upload/Labor_History_in_US-Theme_Study-Final-revised.pdf
4. The KKK in Cleveland and Different Experiences of Integration. https://crbb.tcu.edu/clips/7697/the-kkk-in-cleveland-and-different-experiences-of-integration
5. List of sundown towns in the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sundown_towns_in_the_United_States
6. Ku Klux Klan not founded by the Democratic Party | AP News. https://apnews.com/article/archive-fact-checking-2336745806
7. Ku Klux Klan: Origin, Members & Facts - HISTORY. https://www.history.com/articles/ku-klux-klan
8. The Democratic Party's History of Slavery, Jim Crow, and the KKK. https://www.socialjusticesurvivalguide.com/2018/01/08/the-democratic-partys-history-slavery-jim-crow-kkk/
9. Fact check: Democratic Party did not found the KKK, start Civil War. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/06/30/fact-check-democratic-party-did-not-found-kkk-start-civil-war/3253803001/
10. Grant, Reconstruction and the KKK | American Experience. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/grant-kkk/