In his book Klan-destine Relationships: A Black Man’s Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan[1], Daryl Davis[2], tells how he befriended leaders of three rival KKK groups in Maryland. Each man, in his turn, gave up his leadership role, left the Klan and presented Davis with his Klan robes as a tribute to a new friendship and the growth of consciousness that Daryl inspired. When these three Klan leaders abnegated their roles, their respective groups disbanded. To this day, they have not re-formed.

Daryl did not set out to change these men’s minds. He was not trying to cure them of racism. He just wanted answers as to why they hated him. They did not know him. They knew nothing about him. How could they hate him? Upon what did they base their hatred?

So Daryl met each man. He even introduced them to each other, and they held no great fondness for one another, as their groups were at odds. The more time they spent together, the more things they found that they held in common. The more things they had in common, the more shared experiences were discovered. The result—you can see it coming—was friendship. Friendship replaced fear. Hatred gave way to Brotherly Love.

Daryl thinks Black History month is out of date. It was won begrudgingly—beginning with one-week only—Negro History Week. The struggle for recognition was hard-fought due to whites in power who didn’t want their children studying or, Heaven forbid, making heroes of Black people. It is the shortest month of the year, however, and Black history, in Daryl’s point of view, needs to be rolled into American History in a meaningful way. All students, Daryl states, should study notable African-Americans and important events all year-long, right in-line with education about all worthy individuals and their eras.

I love African-American History Month! Yet, I must admit; Daryl has a point! As his friends, the former Klansmen, opened their minds, perhaps it is time to expand the American educational experience. Let’s open our Black History courses to their rightful place of equal prominence throughout the school year! Let’s call it American History[3]—and it is for our First Nation People, and for European Colonists, and for Africans brought here by reign of terror, and for immigrants of all colors and speaking all tongues, and for all who worship in their own way, and for those who choose not to worship, it is for them, also. American History is for us, and it is respectful of us all. Shalom!

Image: Daryl Davis[4] - R&B musician, author and actor; has performed with many top musicians and with Bill Clinton!

[1] See: http://daryldavis.com/book_quotes.html

[2] Host Jimmy Tardy speak with the musician/author on Portland’s KBOO radio: http://kboo.fm/daryldavisautho

[3] The mere mention of American History demands that we honor Howard Zinn. For History and teaching materials, see: http://zinnedproject.org/about/howard-zinn/

[4] Found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daryl_Davis - This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.