African American Man Gets Klu Klux Klan Members To Quit

Klu Klux Klan (KKK) reformist, Daryl Davis, presented his story about his path to getting KKK members to quit. Davis was at Frostburg State University (FSU) on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m in the Lane University Center’s Alice R. Manicur Assembly Hall.

Davis discussed his childhood overseas, his oblivion to America’s racism, his friendship with a head KKK member, and how he helped 45 KKK members quit. Being raised overseas at a young age, Davis did not know that America’s racial relations in the 1960’s were so cruel. He told the crowd about the time he marched at a parade as a boy scout, in the country. Davis was hit with rocks from white crowd members, and he was unaware that race was the reason. Subsequently, his parents had to explain race and racism to young Davis.

Years later while Davis was performing music at a bar in Fredrick, Md., he encountered a Klu Klux Klan member at a bar. Initially, he did not know the random man was apart of the organization. “This is the first time I ever heard a black man play piano like Jerry Lee Lewis,” the man said to Davis. When Davis told the man that Lewis acquired his skills from Black artists of that time, the KKK member told him he was wrong. The man then offered Davis a drink and he said, “you know this is the first time I ever set down and had a drink with a black man.” Davis could not wrap his head around the man’s statement, so he asked him why. Later, the man revealed that he was a part of the hate group, the KKK.

The man was very welcoming of Davis. Therefore, Davis did not understand why the Klan member was even communicating with him. “He goes in his pocket, pulls out his wallet, and hands me his Klan membership card,” said Davis. Everything on the membership card was familiar to him; he knew the man was actually a authentic member. The man gave Davis his phone number, and he told him to contact him when he returned to the bar. He also wanted to invite his friends (other Klan members), when Davis returned.

From the friendship with the first Klan member, Davis set up a meeting with Roger Kelly, Grand Dragon of the organization. Davis let his white assistant call and set up the face-to-face meeting with Kelly. The Grand Dragon did not know that Davis was a black man; the meeting was set up at a hotel. Before the meeting, he set up soda, ice, and the bible for Kelly. He wanted to use the bible because Klan members use the bible as a reference to their foundation of beliefs.

Two Grand Night Hawks, the KKK bodyguards, walked in first. They stumbled over each other when they realized Davis is a Black man. Kelly wanted to see Davis’ ID to assure that he was the one he was meant to speak to. During the interview, the Klan’s Grand Dragon informed Davis that black people have smaller brains then whites, are on welfare, and abuse drugs. However, at the end of the interview Kelly handed him his business card and told him to keep in contact.

The two men started a friendship from that day; Kelly was promoted to Imperial Wizard of the hate group. They would eat dinner at one another’s houses and converse; Davis believes mutual respect kept the bond a float. He would even attend Klan meetings with Kelly. He did not believe in anything Kelly had to say about the superiority of the white race; however, he did not attack him about his ideas.

Kelly is no longer a Klan member, and his branch of the organization no longer exists. Davis has reformed over 40 KKK members. He believes his way of addressing the situations aids him in this process. He sees people for who they are and not for their beliefs.