Bernard Powers

What happens over time is the memories of the war and what it was about, they begin to fade.

Based on those criteria of stopping the terrorism and protecting the rights of Black Carolinians to vote and hold office, I would have to judge the KKK investigations and trials a failure.

What they showed, I think unequivocally, that the federal government was not really willing to marshal the full power, authority, and machinery to eradicate white terrorism in the South.

They were unprepared beforehand.

They didn't take the opportunity to correct the situation.

And what it also meant

probably does is to further embolden the forces of terror and organizations like the KKK to control the display of violence in a way that could not be easily tracked and prosecuted