Hiram Ulysses Simpson GRANT
1871 - October 17 - President Grant suspends the writ of habeas corpus in South Carolina where the Ku Klux Klan is active.

In October 1871, during the Reconstruction era in the United States, President Ulysses S. Grant took a significant step to combat the violence and terror inflicted by the Ku Klux Klan in South Carolina. The Klan, a white supremacist organization, targeted African Americans and their supporters, using intimidation, violence, and even murder to maintain white supremacy and undermine Reconstruction efforts. President Grant, facing escalating unrest and fearing for public safety, made the decision to suspend the writ of habeas corpus in South Carolina. This extraordinary measure allowed authorities to detain individuals suspected of Klan affiliation without the usual recourse to a court order demanding their release, effectively giving law enforcement broader powers to suppress Klan activities.

Grant's suspension of habeas corpus marked a pivotal moment in the federal government's response to the Klan's reign of terror. It underscored the severity of the threat posed by the Klan's actions and signaled a federal commitment to restoring order and protecting civil rights in the South.

independentsentinel.com

Learn more about the life of      Hiram Ulysses Simpson GRANT.