He had members of the Ku Klux Klan arrested.
The correct answer and explanation is :
The individual who had members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) arrested was President Ulysses S. Grant.
Explanation:
Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, is most notably recognized for his leadership during the Civil War as the Union general and later for his efforts during Reconstruction. One of his significant contributions was his vigorous fight against the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups that arose during the post-Civil War Reconstruction era.
The Klan emerged in the South after the Civil War, using violence, intimidation, and terror to suppress African American civil rights and prevent them from voting, particularly during the period of Reconstruction when federal policies sought to integrate formerly enslaved people into society. The Klan sought to restore white supremacy through acts of violence, including lynching, beatings, and arson, which terrorized African Americans and white Republicans who supported Reconstruction.
President Grant took strong action against these groups, seeing them as a threat to the progress of Reconstruction and the safety of African Americans. In 1871, Grant used his presidential powers to fight the Klan by enforcing the Ku Klux Klan Act. The Act, passed by Congress, granted the president the authority to intervene directly in the South to suppress the Klan’s activities. It made it a federal offense to use force or threat to deny any citizen their constitutional rights, including voting.
Grant deployed federal troops and ordered numerous arrests of Klan members. His actions led to the temporary suppression of the Klan and other violent white supremacist groups, marking a significant federal intervention in the South. Although the Klan resurfaced later, Grant’s efforts were crucial in the initial fight against white supremacist terrorism during Reconstruction.
Thus, Grant’s actions were key in using legal and military means to combat the Klan and protect the civil rights of African Americans during a time of intense racial violence.