Purchased from Changing Hands bookstore on Camelback Road in Phoenix, AZ, yesterday.

Remarkable story about the "heir apparent" of the white nationalist movement, who gradually changed his views and came out against bigotry, racism, white supremacy.

Derek Black was brought up among White Nationalists and White Supremacists, taking part from an early age in conferences, radio programs, and a web bulletin board. His father was a former Grand Marshall of the KKK, as was his godfather, David Duke. He was home-schooled most of his life so was not exposed to other types of students or thinking.

However, Derek was polite, kind, and respectful towards others. He didn't swear or use racial slurs. His position was that the country would be better off if the different races didn't intermingle. He'd been taught that whites were superior to others, and that there were studies to confirm this. He believed in facts over emotions, yet his sources for facts were limited.

He was intelligent and loved learning. Because he had been taught that whites were always victorious through the ages, he was interested in studying medieval history. He chose a college in Florida, which is where he lived, that was affordable, the New College. It was a liberal college with a capital L but that didn't bother him.

Derek didn't plan on broadcasting his views (although that's what he did, literally, on his weekly radio show) so the other students did not find out who he was for a while. He was well-liked and respected for being thoughtful, kind, observant, a hard worker and a good musician.

When he was outed, however, much of the student body turned against him. The struggle was real at this point, and Derek even moved off campus to reduce the friction. He continued to join friends at a weekly shabbat dinner and elsewhere. His close friends decided to serve as examples of the minorities his speeches vilified, to show him that he had it wrong.

Then came Allison. The two hit it off and enjoyed each other's company. Allison was wary about being seen with Derek, but she also wanted to get through to him. Over a few years she worked on exposing the lies he had been taught by showing him better sources of legitimate studies, and she questioned his beliefs as she understood them. She even attended a white nationalist conference in an effort to understand his background.

To his credit, Derek listened. I think this is where he may differ from many others in the white nationalist camp. (But maybe I'm wrong!) He was respectful of others' beliefs and cultures and didn't press his views on his friends. I think it was his curiosity and determination to find the truth that ultimately led to his conversion.

The hardest thing was the effect on his family. Derek grew up immersed in this white culture. He never saw or heard anything else, and he did not want to hurt his family. It was impossible, of course, to avoid, once he started thinking differently.

The story is told clearly, and is supported by volumes of actual material from the radio show, the online bulletin board, and speeches, as well as from hundreds of hours of interviews with Derek and many with Allison, other friends, and his father, who spoke openly about the exerience.

I hope that his example alone might lead others to follow the same path.