Answer:
The original purpose of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), founded in 1865 in the United States, was to intimidate and oppress African Americans and their supporters during the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War. The KKK sought to restore white supremacy and maintain racial segregation through acts of violence, terror, and intimidation against Black individuals and their allies. Over time, the KKK's activities evolved, and it has been associated with various forms of hatred and bigotry against minority groups in different periods of American history.