It is always said it is hard to hate someone you know and like. This is said to be true for members of the KKK who hate black people because they have never met one before or live in towns that are historically majority white.
Daryl Davis, a black man who was a keyboardist for Little Richard and Chuck Berry has made it his mission to speak to these people and befriend them.
“The most important thing I learned is that when you are actively learning about someone else you are passively teaching them about yourself,” Davis explained in explained to the podcast Love+Radio via The Atlantic.
“Give them a platform. You challenge them. But you don’t challenge them rudely or violently. You do it politely and intelligently. And when you do things that way chances are they will reciprocate and give you a platform.”
In 1983, Davis played in front of a white audience and was approach by a man who admired how he played the keyboard. The two struck up a conversation and Davis found out that the man was a KKK card member. Through this man, Davis met Roger Kelly, the former Imperial Wizard of the white supremacist organization. Over time, Kelly, and Davis grew so close that Kelly left the KKK and handed his robe and hood to Davis denouncing the hate group.
The musician, actor and author’s approach is dangerous granted but successful. You can see for yourself as Davis is part of a new documentary “Accidental Courtesy,” directed by Matt Ornstein and released on Dec. 9.
