The 'Klan Whisperer' Convinces KKK Members to Quit

Daryl Davis, a Black man, has befriended and persuaded over 200 Klan members to leave the group.

Published on Feb. 3, 2026

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Daryl Davis, a Black man, has spent decades befriending and persuading Ku Klux Klan members to leave the hate group. He now owns a collection of Klan robes and regalia that were given to him by former members he has convinced to quit the organization. Davis says he has successfully convinced over 200 Klansmen to leave the KKK through his approach of finding common ground and appealing to their shared humanity.

Why it matters

Davis' unique approach to combating racism and hate groups by building personal relationships with KKK members provides a model for how to change hearts and minds, rather than simply opposing them. His success in getting Klansmen to renounce their racist ideology challenges common assumptions about the intractability of such extreme views.

The details

Davis first learned about racism as a child when he was attacked by white spectators while marching in a parade as the only Black Cub Scout. This experience led him to wonder 'How can you hate me when you don't even know me?' Years later, after meeting a KKK member impressed by his piano playing, Davis decided to reach out to Klan leaders across the country, befriend them, and try to change their minds. He connected with the grand dragon of the Maryland KKK, Roger Kelly, and the two developed an unlikely friendship, with Kelly eventually leaving the Klan and shutting down his 13 chapters across the country.

  • In 1968, Davis was attacked by white spectators as the only Black Cub Scout marching in a parade in Massachusetts.
  • In 1990, Davis set up an in-person meeting with Roger Kelly, the grand dragon of the Maryland KKK.
  • Over the years, Davis has befriended and convinced over 200 Klan members to leave the organization.

The players

Daryl Davis

A Black man who has spent decades befriending and persuading Ku Klux Klan members to leave the hate group. He now owns a collection of Klan robes and regalia that were given to him by former members.

Roger Kelly

The former grand dragon of the Maryland KKK, who developed an unlikely friendship with Daryl Davis and eventually left the Klan, shutting down his 13 chapters across the country.

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What they’re saying

“If you spend five minutes with your worst adversary, you're going to find something in common and that gap is going to narrow.”

— Daryl Davis (WBAL-TV 11 News)

“I would follow that man to hell and back because I believe in what he stands for and he believes in what I stand for. A lot of times, we don't agree with everything, but at least he respects me to sit down and listen to me, and I listen to him.”

— Roger Kelly, Former Grand Dragon of the Maryland KKK (CNN)

What’s next

Davis plans to open his own museum to display the collection of Klan robes and regalia he has accumulated over the years.

The takeaway

Daryl Davis' approach of building personal relationships and finding common ground with KKK members, rather than simply opposing them, provides a model for how to change hearts and minds and combat the intractability of extreme racist ideologies.