grand wizard

The term "grand wizard" refers to the highest-ranking officer within the Ku Klux Klan hierarchy. The Ku Klux Klan is a U.S. hate organization that has used terror to advance its white supremacist agenda. There have been two distinct iterations of the Klan: one founded after the Civil War that lasted until the 1870s, and another that began in 1915 and continues to the present day.123

The first grand wizard is believed to have been Confederate cavalry general Nathan Bedford Forrest. The organization used intimidation and violence, often carried out by members dressed in robes and sheets, to target Black freedmen and their white supporters. While the Klan's influence waned after the 1870s, a second iteration emerged in 1915, expanding its animosity to include Catholics, Jews, foreigners, and organized labor, in addition to Black people. Despite a decline in membership and fragmentation into smaller groups, the Klan has continued some activities into the 21st century.23