While Reconstruction in the South following the Civil War offered hope and possibility, in reality states and the federal government floundered with how to reunite the country andfashion policy regarding newly freed people. In North Carolina, Governor William Holden, like others throughout the south, facedenormous challenges, from the reorganization of local and state governments to managing a deteriorated economy. It was this unstable and transitory environment that set the state for the rise of white supremacist groups such as the KKK, which grew from secret fraternities comprised of Confederate veterans and sympathizers, to a paramilitary force bent on reversing any progressive Reconstructionpolicies through terrorist tactics all around North Carolina. In this lesson, students will learn about the realities of Reconstruction North Carolina, specifically through the stories of Wyatt Outlaw, Graham, NC’s first black constable who was horrifically lynched by the KKK, and the Kirk Holden War, a result of the Governor’s actions to try and tamp down Klan terrorism across the state. Through class discussion, examination of primary source documents, and reading, students will gain an understanding of the importance of this history and the ways facing it can move us forward as a nation.

For the accompanying PPT, click here.