Civility. Race. Redemption. Class.

All of these topics were discussed in a speech that was one of a series called Civil Discourse in a Democracy by the Institute on National Affairs.

Osha Gray Davidson, the author of “The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South,” a book that has been nominated for both the Robert S. Kennedy Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize, presented his lecture on Race and Redemption to more than 60 people in the Memorial Union.

Davidson began the speech by explaining his book about the friendship of a Ku Klux Klan leader and a black community leader in a small town in South Carolina during the 1950s.

At first, readers thought this was a fictional book because a relationship like this was so unreal. Davidson pointed out, however, that this was a true story of a real friendship.

“This book never would have been published if it hadn’t been a true story because no one would have believed that something like this could happen,” Davidson said.

Davidson spoke about civility and its components.

“I believe that hell is a place of unsurpassed civility,” Davidson said.

Davidson also said that civility has to be questioned. “It is one tool that is creating justice for society, and that’s where we need to be headed.”

In summary of the story, Davidson said: “There are two kinds of civility. One that keeps people going, and one that allows people to hear each other. It’s tough to tell the difference.”