Research Guides: Ku Klux Klan Hearings in the U.S. Congressional Serial Set: KKK hearings

U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Mississippi, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 12, serial 1495, illustration following p. 1158. Via HathiTrust.

"Over the course of seven months in 1871, Congress did something extraordinary for the time: It listened to Black people."

Tiffany R. Wright, Ciarra N. Carr, and Jade W.P. Gasek. "Truth and Reconciliation: The Ku Klux Klan Hearings of 1871 and the Genesis of Section 1983." Dickinson Law Review 126, no. 3 (Spring 2022): 685.

Please be aware that this guide points to materials that portray and defend racism, oppression, and the brutality of oppression.

Volumes of the Ku Klux Klan hearings

The Ku-Klux Conspiracy. [A list of volumes.]

Source: U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Georgia, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 6, serial 1489.

The Ku Klux Klan hearings were published both as House Reports (13 volumes) and as Senate Reports (also 13 volumes) and are all found in the U.S. Congressional Serial Set. Below are lists of those House Reports (serial 1529-1541) and Senate Reports (serial 1484-1496). The content of the two sets should be largely identical.

Links are provided to freely available online publications. (Note: Although all were published in the U.S. Congressional Serial Set and are cited accordingly, the link may be to another edition.) Search all 13 parts simultaneously via Ku Klux Klan hearings collection via HathiTrust.

Note that individual copies or editions of a report may differ in which sections relevant to the KKK hearings are included.

House Reports and Senate Reports
Part	House Reports	Senate Reports	Sections relevant to the KKK hearings
1	U.S. Congress. House. Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 1, serial 1529. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b655882. https://books.google.com/books?id=dX9ZAAAAcAAJ. https://books.google.com/books?id=1htJAQAAMAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Mr. Scott, from the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States, Submitted the Following Report. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 1, serial 1484. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985176. https://books.google.com/books?id=b-8NAQAAMAAJ.	The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Report ("The joint select committee appointed 'to inquire into the condition of affairs in the late insurrectionary States, so far as regards the execution of the laws, and the safety of the lives and property of the citizens of the United States,' submit the following report"), 1-100 Report of Mr. Stevenson, of Ohio, from the Subcommittee on Debts and Election Laws of the Late Insurrectionary States, to the Joint Select Committee, 101-287 Minority Report, 289-588 Journal of the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of the Late Insurrectionary States, 7 April 1871-19 February 1872, 589-627 Sub-committee, 20 May-5 Aug 1871, 594-609 Sub-committee to Make Digest, 13-19 Sept 1871, 609 Joint Select Committee, 20-25 Sept 1871, 610-615 Sub-committee to Make Digest, 25 Sept-2 Dec 1871, 615-618 Joint Select Committee, 4-6 Dec 1871, 618-619 Sub-committee to Examine Witnesses, 7-8 Dec 1871, 620 Joint Select Committee, 21 Dec 1871-19 Feb 1872, 620-627 Index, 629-632
2	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. North Carolina. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 2, serial 1530. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985452. https://books.google.com/books?id=JX9ZAAAAcAAJ. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/SERIALSET-01530_00_00.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. North Carolina. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 2, serial 1485. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015007000220. https://books.google.com/books?id=rwtYAAAAcAAJ.	North Carolina The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Index, i-xvi Testimony, 1-415 Trials at Raleigh, North Carolina, 417-592
3	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. South Carolina, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 3, serial 1531. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985453. https://books.google.com/books?id=yaYFAAAAQAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. South Carolina, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 3, serial 1486. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015007000063. https://books.google.com/books?id=JqoFAAAAQAAJ.	South Carolina, Vol. I The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Contents [and index, South Carolina vols. I-III], i-xxxv Testimony [taken by the general committee], 1-288 Testimony taken by the sub-committee, 289-597
4	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. South Carolina, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 4, serial 1532. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985454. https://books.google.com/books?id=jPdYAAAAcAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. South Carolina, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 4, serial 1487. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.hnx4f7. https://books.google.com/books?id=KKoFAAAAQAAJ.	South Carolina, Vol. II The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Testimony [taken by the sub-committee, continued], 597-1283
5	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. South Carolina, Vol. III. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 5, serial 1533. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985455. https://books.google.com/books?id=IAuMAX3JHq4C.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. South Carolina, Vol. III. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 5, serial 1488. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.hnx2r7. https://books.google.com/books?id=k6sFAAAAQAAJ.	South Carolina, Vol. III The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Testimony [taken by the sub-committee, continued], 1283-1614 Trials at Columbia, South Carolina, 1615-1990
6	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Georgia, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 6, serial 1534. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015050992406. https://books.google.com/books?id=R6UFAAAAQAAJ. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/SERIALSET-01534_00_00.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Georgia, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 6, serial 1489. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b655874. https://books.google.com/books?id=UwtYAAAAcAAJ.	Georgia, Vol. I The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Index [for Georgia vols. I-II], i-liii Testimony [taken by the general committee], 1-349 Testimony taken by the sub-committee, 350-591
7	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Georgia, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 7, serial 1535. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b655888. https://books.google.com/books?id=kKUFAAAAQAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Georgia, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 7, serial 1490. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b655875. https://books.google.com/books?id=tQpYAAAAcAAJ.	Georgia, Vol. II The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Testimony taken by the sub-committee [continued], 591-1217
8	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Alabama, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 8, serial 1536. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985458. https://books.google.com/books?id=-qQFAAAAQAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Alabama, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 8, serial 1491. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985183. https://books.google.com/books?id=aAxYAAAAcAAJ.	Alabama, Vol. I The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Index [for Alabama vols. I-III], i-lxxv Testimony [taken by the general committee], 1-525 Testimony taken by the sub-committee, 527-641 Illustration, 113
9	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Alabama, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 9, serial 1537. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985459. https://books.google.com/books?id=TPdYAAAAcAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Alabama, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 9, serial 1492. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985184. https://books.google.com/books?id=RwxYAAAAcAAJ.	Alabama, Vol. II The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Testimony [taken by the sub-committee, continued], 641-1405 Illustration, 1054, 1228
10	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Alabama, Vol. III. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 10, serial 1538. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985460. https://books.google.com/books?id=QPdYAAAAcAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Alabama, Vol. III. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 10, serial 1493. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985185. https://books.google.com/books?id=MwtYAAAAcAAJ.	Alabama, Vol. III The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Testimony [taken by the sub-committee, continued], 1405-2008
11	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Mississippi, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 11, serial 1539. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985461. https://books.google.com/books?id=PW1UAAAAcAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Mississippi, Vol. I. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 11, serial 1494. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b655879. https://books.google.com/books?id=jKsFAAAAQAAJ.	Mississippi, Vol. I The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Index [for Mississippi vols. I-II], i-lx Testimony [taken by the general committee], 1-468 Testimony taken by the sub-committee, 469-609 Map, 174
12	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Mississippi, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 12, serial 1540. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b655890. https://books.google.com/books?id=naYFAAAAQAAJ.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Mississippi, Vol. II. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 12, serial 1495. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b655880. https://books.google.com/books?id=jasFAAAAQAAJ.	Mississippi, Vol. II The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Testimony [taken by the sub-committee, continued], 609-1189 Full report of the Great Ku-Klux Trial, 936-987 Map, 692, 1004 Illustration, following p. 1158
13	U.S. Congress. House. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Florida. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. H.Rpt. 22, pt. 13, serial 1541. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985463. https://books.google.com/books?id=rwD3l6ki_0MC.	U.S. Congress. Senate. Testimony Taken by the Joint Select Committee to Inquire into the Condition of Affairs in the Late Insurrectionary States. Florida. 42nd cong., 2nd sess., 1872. S.Rpt. 41, pt. 13, serial 1496. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3985188. https://books.google.com/books?id=76oFAAAAQAAJ.	Florida, Miscellaneous The Ku-Klux Conspiracy [a list of the 13 volumes in the report (see above)] Index, i-xxii Testimony: Miscellaneous, 1-53 Testimony taken by the sub-committee: Florida, 54-310 Miscellaneous documents, 311-399