Final answer:
In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan targeted African-Americans, immigrant Jews, and Catholics to maintain white supremacy and combat changes in American society. They employed tactics like lynching and arson and influenced policies such as the Immigration Act of 1924.
Step-by-step explanation:
Who Did the Ku Klux Klan Terrorize in the 1920s?
In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), experiencing a resurgence, expanded its scope of hatred and terror to include not only African-Americans but also immigrant Jews and Catholics, whom they perceived as threats to "traditional" white Protestant America. Their tactics of terror included lychings, arson, assault, and other forms of violence and intimidation. The Klan victimized these groups in an attempt to preserve white supremacy and protest against increasing diversity and the social mobility of minority groups. This was also reflected in the Immigration Act of 1924, which aimed to preserve the ethnic status quo of the United States prior to the increased immigration from southern and eastern Europe.
The KKK of the 1920s was a well-organized group with a strong following, boasting over 4 million members at its peak. It not only targeted African-Americans but also played a role in the wider societal pushback against changes in the American demographic, including acts of violence during events like the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. The 1920s Klan also incorporated mainstream Americans into its membership, including many middle-class men and women, which gave the organization an air of legitimacy and broadened its social impact.