The origins of the Klan hood are absolutely grounded in anonymity. Those Reconstruction-era terrorists had reasons to conceal their identity.

Eventually, Jim Crow allowed those people to hate out in the open, and get elected.

Over the decades, that mask has come off, and come back on, a racist fashion statement to some and to others a means of hiding in plain sight during a parade.

And yes, their hoods and costumes were also meant to terrorize.