In light of the horrific riots that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, on April 12th, 2017, the following story seems particularly important.
White supremacy is defined by the Anti-Defamation League as an ideology “dominated by the belief that whites are doomed to extinction by a rising tide of non-whites who are controlled and manipulated” by individuals of Jewish belief— “unless,” of course, “action is taken now”.
Since over a dozen people were injured in the Charlottesville riots, many have been wondering how to extinguish the flames and unite the many races and ethnicities present in the United States today.
One African-American man named Daryl Davis may have the answer— and it’s a hell of a lot easier than you would think.
A self-described “musician, actor, author, and lecturer,” 58-year-old Daryl has been converting Klu Klux Klan members for over 30 years, and his method has recently been featured in the documentary Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America.
As surprising as it may be, Daryl has managed to convert countless Klan members simply by being their friend.
Although it may seem obvious, with so much anger bubbling within the trenches of daily American life these days, sometimes it can be hard to remember the effectiveness of a kind act or subtle gesture.
Daryl meets with KKK members and other white supremacists, attending their rallies, going to their homes, and simply getting to know them.
He explains, “It’s a wonderful thing when you see a light bulb pop on in their heads, or they call you and tell you they are quitting. I never set out to convert anyone in the Klan. I just set out to get an answer to my question: ‘How can you hate me when you don’t even know me? Look at me and tell me to my face why you should lynch me.'”
As a result of Daryl’s kindness and friendship, many supremacists have been inspired to abandon their beliefs. He has even collected a stash of KKK memorabilia from the members he has converted.
When asked why he doesn’t do something with the items (such as burn them), Daryl explains:
“As shameful as it is, you don’t burn our history, regardless of the good, the bad, the ugly.” When it comes to the KKK and the United States, he explains, “[The Klan] is as American as baseball, apple pie, and Chevrolet.”
Not everyone agrees with Daryl’s method, however. He has received many criticisms from African-American leaders, but he doesn’t seem to take them to heart.
“I had one guy from [a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People] branch chew me up one side and down the other, saying ‘You know, we’ve worked hard to get 10 steps forward. Here you are, sitting down with the enemy having dinner. You’re putting us 20 steps back. ‘
“I pull out my robes and hoods and say, ‘Look, this is what I’ve done to put a dent in racism. I’ve got robes and hoods hanging in my closet by people who’ve given up the belief because of my conversations sitting down to dinner. They gave it up. How many robes and hoods have you collected?’
“And then they shut up.”
If you’re interested in learning more about Daryl Davis’ relationship with former (and current) white supremacists, be sure to check out the award-winning documentary Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America.
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