Noted Musician/Activist Daryl Davis Brings Power of Conversation to Annual ‘To Life, L’Chaim Benefit

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times Daryl Davis knows about the power of change not just through conversation but also through music. He initially gained recognition as a jazz, blues and rock & roll musician performing with notable artists like Chuck Berry and many others. However, Davis is more widely known for his efforts to fight racism by engaging members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and convincing dozens of Klansmen to leave and denounce the hate group. On September 10, “To Life, L’Chaim — The Power of Conversation” takes place at the Wright Center on the Samford University campus, 800 Lakeshore Drive from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and will include a panel with Davis as well as music, spoken word and a community choir. “I will be with a very good friend of mine who is a former Neo-Nazi and we will be talking about what causes people to get into these movements, how we can get them out of these movements, and how we can need to address these things,” Davis told The Times. The program benefits the Alabama Holocaust Education Center. Davis’s efforts deal with combatting hatred, promoting understanding, and preventing atrocities born out of prejudice and...