The Man Who Took On The Klan

Amos Akerman, a former Confederate soldier, became the U.S. government's most zealous warrior against the KKK.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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In 1871, Ku Klux Klan violence in South Carolina got so bad that the governor sent a telegram to President Ulysses S. Grant warning that he was facing a state of war. Grant sent Amos Akerman, a former Confederate soldier and slaveholder, to take on the KKK as the U.S. government's most zealous warrior against the hate group.

Why it matters

This story highlights a pivotal moment in Reconstruction-era America, where the federal government took decisive action to combat the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and protect the rights of newly freed slaves in the South.

The details

Amos Akerman, a former Confederate soldier and slaveholder, was tasked by President Grant to lead the federal government's crackdown on the Ku Klux Klan in South Carolina, where the group's violence had spiraled out of control. Akerman used the full force of the law to arrest and prosecute Klan members, dismantling the organization's power in the state.

  • In 1871, Ku Klux Klan violence in South Carolina escalated to the point where the governor sent a telegram to President Ulysses S. Grant warning of a state of war.
  • President Grant responded by sending Amos Akerman to take on the KKK in South Carolina.

The players

Ulysses S. Grant

The 18th President of the United States, who sent Amos Akerman to combat the Ku Klux Klan in South Carolina during Reconstruction.

Amos Akerman

A former Confederate soldier and slaveholder who became the U.S. government's most zealous warrior against the Ku Klux Klan.

Bernard Powers

The director of the Center for the Study of Slavery in Charleston at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

Guy Gugliotta

The author of "Grant's Enforcer, Taking Down the Klan".

Kidada Williams

A professor of history at Wayne State University and the author of "I Saw Death Coming, A History of Terror and Survival in the War Against Reconstruction".

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The takeaway

This story highlights the federal government's pivotal role in combating the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and protecting the rights of newly freed slaves during Reconstruction, with Amos Akerman serving as a key figure in this effort.