Daryl Davis

"After 148 years of nothing but violence and hatred, it's time we get to know one another on a social basis, not under a cover of darkness," explained Grammy Award winning pianist Daryl Davis of his extraordinary journey into the heart of one of America's most fanatical institutions the Ku Klux Klan (KKK.)

Having spent his early childhood in Europe and Africa, the son of a foreign service officer, Davis didn't experience racism until he returned to the United States at age ten and was pelted with rocks, splintered bottles and debris while carrying the American flag for his all-white cub scout troop at a parade in Boston.  At 15, he was jeered at and told by another hate group that he would be shipped back to Africa, and in his twenties, already an up-and-coming musician, a racist cop attacked Daryl.

Driven by the need to understand those who, without ever meeting him, hated him because of the color of his skin, Daryl decided to seek out the roots of racism.  His mesmerizing story told in gritty words and startling photographs, is both harrowing and awe-inspiring.

On a quest to do nothing more than explore racism and gather information for his book, Klan-Destine Relationships,

Daryl Davis eventually became the recipient of numerous robes and hoods given to him by KKK members who rescinded their beliefs after coming to know him. He had inadvertently stumbled upon a successful method of forming friendships between sworn enemies. His methods have made him the center of controversy in some circles where he is considered “politically incorrect,” but after proving his methods work, he has made supporters out of his detractors.

As a race relations expert, Daryl Davis has received acclaim for his book, Klan-Destine Relationships and his work in

race relations from many respected sources including CNN, NBC, Good Morning America, The Learning Channel,

National Public Radio, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun and many others. He is also the recipient of numerous awards including the highly prestigious Elliott-Black Award and the Bridge Builder Award presented by the American Ethical Union and Washington Ethical Society respectively, to name a few.

Then there is Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America, an award winning documentary. In Accidental Courtesy, Daryl’s journey takes him across the country, from DC to California, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Alabama, from old friends who have left the Klan, to friends still active in the organization, including a current Imperial Wizard of the KKK. In an age of digital disconnection, Daryl’s method is rooted in personal interaction and we as viewers reap the rewards.