Which organization sought to suppress Black political participation through violence during Reconstruction?

• A. Freedmen's Bureau
• B. Ku Klux Klan
• C. Union League
• D. Southern Alliance

Answer: (B)

During Reconstruction, groups that wanted to restore white supremacy used terror to stop Black people from participating in politics. The Ku Klux Klan is the best example of this, because it organized night rides, threats, beatings, and even killings to intimidate African Americans and their allies and to disrupt elections and Republican governments in the South. This violence aimed directly at suppressing Black political participation and undermining Reconstruction efforts. By contrast, the Freedmen's Bureau focused on aid and protection for newly freed people, the Union League worked to mobilize and educate Black voters and supporters, and the Southern Alliance was a different kind of organization whose activities were not centered on violently suppressing Black political participation during this era.