Discovery Docu-Special Uncovers the Secrets of the KKK

Wednesday night, Discovery Channel will air a one-hour special, “KKK: Beneath the Hood,” that delves into the truths and secrets behind one of the largest surviving white-supremacist organizations, the Ku Klux Klan. This exclusive clip from the docu-special reveals that the organization, which was formed on Christmas Eve of 1865 (the same year the American Civil War ended), began in an unexpected way: as a sophomoric gag. In his first televised interview, Richard Bondira, a Traditionalist American Knights member, talks about the Klan’s surprising origins.

According to Bondira, the group began “innocently enough in a law office in Pulaski, Tennessee.” Six Confederate Civil War veterans were deciding how to occupy their time now that the war was over, Bondira continued, and they agreed that forming a mysterious organization similar to college fraternities — in which they could engage in pranks and hazing — would be fun.

It was during this time that the name Ku Klux Klan was conceived. At first, the name was not intended to be menacing, Bondira said; “Ku Klux” was a variation of the Greek word “kklos,” which means wheel or band.

It wasn’t long, though, before the organization turned violent and terroristic. In 1869, the first era of the Klan disbanded under pressure from the federal government, but factions of the KKK continue to exist to this day. Discovery was able to gain access via acclaimed photojournalist Anthony Karen, who has long documented the secret world of the Klan (as well as White Nationalists, the Westboro Baptist Church, the Maricopa County Jail, and more).