Daryl Davis Musician, Author, Compelling Unifier, Klan Whisperer, and Award-winning Conflict Navigator

CIVIL CONVERSATIONS – YOU CAN'T CHANGE PEOPLE'S MINDS BY MAKING THEM WRONG.

Contrary to what you might hope, most people won’t change their mindset just because you know they’re wrong and provide solid evidence to contradict beliefs they hold dear. Daryl Davis can attest to that. He’s had ample experience to prove it is mostly impossible to change someone else's reality. However, Daryl has honed methods that make it easier to get an adversary to change their own reality. That simple shift allowed a Black man to find common ground and even close friendship with top leaders and members of the . In this talk, Daryl draws on almost 40 years of conversations with White supremacists – some of whom have gone on to rescind their racist ideological beliefs. He reveals his communication tools and explains how anyone can put them to use when confronted with those who have conflicting viewpoints or simply different interpretations of a problem. The lessons Daryl shares can be used to lower the temperature and bring about productive and comfortable conversations in our business and personal lives – in conference rooms and at dinner tables. As Daryl says, “A missed opportunity for dialogue is a missed opportunity for conflict resolution.”

THE KLAN WHISPERER

Daryl Davis is a Black man who for almost 40 years has walked on the edge – with one foot dangling over the precipice – on a quest to explore racism. Along the way, Daryl has befriended White supremacists, attended Ku Klux Klan rallies, been a pallbearer at a Grand Dragon's funeral, performed hymns at an Imperial Wizard's funeral, stood in as the surrogate father of a Klanswoman bride – walking her down the aisle to be given away at her wedding to an Imperial Wizard, and spurred the dismantling of the largest Klan group in the State of . Daryl is a master storyteller whose recollections have the suspense of a true-crime podcast and keep audiences riveted to their seats in disbelief. People leave his presentations empowered with the tools to make better friends out of even their sworn enemies.

WHAT'S DRIVING WHITE SUPREMACY TODAY?

From the high influx of non-European immigration to the United States, to a Black President, to a violent and deadly White supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA, to the rhetoric that inspired an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, to fear of the "Browning of America," "White Genocide," and majority-minority reversal in the year 2042…Daryl Davis is the voice of knowledge, reason, and tranquility in uncertain, racially turbulent times. For nearly 40 years he has been studying and dealing directly with some of the biggest promulgators of White supremacy, their fears, and their quest for power. His expert opinion is often sought by such leading news organizations as CNN, MSNBC, National Geographic, NPR, , Baltimore Sun, Newsweek, and The Atlantic. Daryl’s insights bring business leaders, law enforcement, policy makers, educators, and average citizens up to speed – helping them understand what's to be expected and what can be done.

HAIL, HAIL ROCK'N'ROLL – DELIVER ME FROM THE DAYS OF OLD

It was music that launched Daryl Davis’ crazy connection to the Ku Klux Klan. He was complimented at a show by a White man who said he’d never heard a Black man play piano like . Daryl explained that Lewis, who was actually a friend of his, learned his style by imitating Black artists of the day. The guy didn’t believe it. He also confessed to being a member of the KKK. The ensuing conversation led to an introduction to the leader of the Maryland KKK. Daryl interviewed him for his book and became his unlikely friend. In this talk, Daryl recounts how rock’n’roll – called "the devil’s music" by its detractors at the time of its inception – broke down early racial barriers with young people in the 1950s. Daryl brings that history forward into his own story, using music as a common denominator and proving that musical and racial harmony go hand-in-hand. He has been dubbed "The Rock'n'Roll Race Reconciliator" for helping people find common ground. Daryl punctuates his captivating presentation with a thrilling musical performance, in the signature Boogie-Woogie style he honed while backing and other rock'n'roll legends.

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