Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America Trailer (2016)

Trailer for the documentary Accidental Courtesy.

Daryl Davis has an unusual hobby. Though primarily known as an accomplished musician who has performed all over the world with legends like Chuck Berry and Little Richard, in his spare time he likes to meet and befriend members of the Ku Klux Klan. Daryl has built his relationships person by person and his campaign has proved remarkably effective. Many members of the KKK he has connected with have been forced to reconsider their beliefs, with some even leaving the organization as a result.

Davis has collected hoods, robes and other artifacts from friends who have left the Klan, building a collection piece by piece, story by story, person by person in hopes of eventually opening a “Museum of the Klan."

Accidental Courtesy is a rare and powerful portrait of a man who has truly embodied the idea that real and profound change happens best when it is one-on-one. It is a controversial concept that not everyone agrees with, but one that seems particularly important in the wake of the recent election.

Director Matt Ornstein shows us all sides of the argument as he takes us on an intimate and inspiring journey into Davis’ life. He seeks out old friends he inspired to leave the Klan and those still active in the organization today, as well as academics, civil rights activists, and neo-Nazis as he attempts to answer his lifelong question: "How can you hate me when you don't even know me?”