1871 – Ku Klux Klan Act Used for First Time

On June 6, 1871, the U.S. federal government invoked the Ku Klux Klan Act (also known as the Civil Rights Act of 1871) to arrest Klan members in South Carolina. This was one of the first major efforts by the federal government to crack down on racial terrorism in the post-Civil War South. The Act empowered the president to use military force and suspend habeas corpus to protect African Americans from violent white supremacist groups. President Ulysses S. Grant would soon use these powers in full, dismantling many Klan cells and restoring civil order—temporarily. This early use of federal authority demonstrated that the government could, when willing, act decisively in defense of Black lives. However, the subsequent retreat from Reconstruction would allow white supremacist violence to reemerge, reinforcing the need for lasting vigilance and legal protection.