Let’s talk about the past 150 years — modern times, the Industrial age, age of enlightenment —> Catholics were targetted in the Prussian KulturKampf, but more to the point, persecution IN the USA. This was not govt sanctioned in any way of course, but the Know-Nothings are a blot on the history of our nation, as are their descendents the KKK
The KKK was a Southern phenomenon that occurred AFTER the Civil War.
I suppose you might draw some parallels between the two, but the one is not father to the other.