[ APPLAUSE ] >>> SO, MIKE’S STORY IS CALLED
IN A BOOK CALLED "BURDEN: A
PREACHER, A KLANSMAN AND A
MODERN STORY OF THE SOUTH."
IT WILL SOON BE A MOVIE CALLED
REQUESTED
REQUESTED "BURDEN."
"BURDEN." HERE IS THEIR STORY.
WATCH THIS.
WATCH THIS. >> GREW UP LEARNING TO SURVIVE.
THAT’S WHAT I DONE.
>> Reporter: AS A TEENAGER,
MICHAEL BURDEN MOVED TO THE
SMALL TOWN OF LAWRENCE, SOUTH
CAROLINA.
CAROLINA. >> WHY WASN’T I IN THE KLAN?
>> Reporter: BURDEN MET JOHN
HOWARD, A KLANSMAN.
>> HE WAS SOMEBODY I LOOKED UP
TO.
TO. I WANTED TO LEARN THE KLAN
HISTORY.
HISTORY. >> THE LIGHT THAT DISPELLED THE
DARKNESS, A NEW BARON.
>> Reporter: HE JOINED THE KU
KLUX KLAN.
KLUX KLAN. >> I MADE IT TO IMPERIAL
NIGHTHAWK, WHICH WAS BASICALLY
SECURITY.
SECURITY. I WAS TOLD TO PUT THE FEAR OF
GOD IN PEOPLE.
TO SCARE THEM.
>> Reporter: IN 1996, THE TWO
MEN OPENED UP A MUSEUM AND STORE
CELEBRATING THE KLAN, CALLED THE
RED NECK
RED NECK REDNECK SHOP.
REDNECK SHOP. >> WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH
OUR LIVES.
OUR LIVES. >> Reporter: IT DREW NATIONAL
ATTENTION AND PROTESTS.
>> I CAN SELL ANYBODY JUST ABOUT
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. SO, I TELL THEM THE KLAN.
WE SOLD T-SHIRTS, ROBES, KLAN
PARAPHERNALIA, SOUTHERN
PARAPHERNALIA, SOUTHERN PARAPHERNALIA.
PARAPHERNALIA. IF IT HAD A CONFEDERATE FLAG ON
IT, WE SOLD IT.
IF IT HAD KLAN MEMORABILIA ON
IT, WE SOLD IT.
WE SOLD ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING
WE COULD, EVEN DOWN TO A
MEMBERSHIP IN THE KLAN.
>> Reporter: TWO MONTHS LATER,
BURDEN GOT MARRIED AND THEY
LIVED IN THE REDNECK SHOP
BUILDING.
BUILDING. HE PROMISED HIS NEW WIFE HE
WOULD LEAVE THE KLAN.
>> I WAS DONE.
>> Reporter: NOW, BURDEN AND HIS
FAMILY WERE HOMELESS.
>> DIDN’T HAVE MONEY TO BUY WHAT
I NEEDED AND GET WHAT I NEEDED.
WE DONE THE BEST WE COULD IN THE
BACK OF A TRUCK AND MOTELS.
>> Reporter: BURDEN BEFRIENDED A
LOCAL BLACK PREACHER, DAVID
KENNEDY.
KENNEDY. >> THE LAST PERSON I EXPECTED TO
GET HELP FROM.
LOVE HIM AS A PERSON, AS AN
INDIVIDUAL.
INDIVIDUAL. HE SPENT MONEY TO PUT US IN A
MOTEL.
MOTEL. HE SPENT MONEY TO FEED US.
HE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO THAT.
I CALL HIM A FRIEND.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME MIKE
BURDEN AND REVEREND DAVID
KENNEDY.
KENNEDY. [ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
HERE. >> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MIKE, LET ME START WITH YOU.
WE’VE DONE A FEW OF THESE
STORIES OF FORMER KLANSMEN WHO
MANAGED TO GET OUT.
WHAT WAS IT INITIALLY THAT DREW
YOU TO THE KLAN?
>> I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO
LEARN THE HISTORY, THE POSITIVE
OF THE KLAN AND TURNED OUT FOR
EVERY POSITIVE I LEARNED, THERE
WAS TEN NEGATIVE THERE’S TO
OVERRIDE IT.
OVERRIDE IT. I THOUGHT I WOULD LEARN FROM IT
AND EDUCATE PEOPLE BUT IT DIDN’T
WORK OUT THE WAY I PLANNED.
>> WAS THERE ANY -- WHEN WE
THINK OF THE CLAN, WEKLAN, WE TH
PEOPLE FILLED WITH HATE.
IS THAT HOW IT FELT?
>> NOT REALLY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF THAT.
BUT MOST PEOPLE GET IN THERE SO
THEY CAN BELONG TO SOMETHING
THAT’S KNOWN.
THAT’S KNOWN. THEY DON’T REALLY COME IN
HATING.
HATING. YOU KIND OF LEARN IT WHILE
YOU’RE IN THERE.
AND THAT’S WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE
DO MAKE THE MISTAKE OF IT.
>> BEFORE YOU CONNECTED WITH THE
REVEREND, DID YOU KNOW HIM?
>> NOT PERSONALLY.
BUT I KNEW OF HIM.
I HAD DONE SOME THINGS LIKE
KEEPING UP WITH HIM, TRACKING
HIM DOWN, STUFF LIKE THAT.
I LISTENED TO HIM PROTEST IN
FRONT OF THE STORE AND STUFF
LIKE THAT.
LIKE THAT. >> SO, YOU WERE NOT A FOONAN OF
HIS?
HIS? >> NO.
>> NO. I WOULDN’T CALL IT A FAN, NO,
MA’AM.
MA’AM. >> AND THE SAME IN REVERSE, YOU
WERE NOT A FAN OF MIKE’S OR THE
MUSEUM THAT WAS CONTROVERSIAL.
>> NO.
>> NO. >> YOU MARRY A WOMAN.
AND SHE’S AN EXKLAN MEMBER
HERSELF.
HERSELF. AND SHE WANTS YOU TO LEAVE THE
KLAN.
KLAN. WHY?
WHY? >> HONESTLY, I THINK IT TOOK ME
AWAY FROM HER.
MY MIND WASN’T ON HER.
MY BODY WOULD GET UP IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
I WOULD GO VISIT WITH PEOPLE,
STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND SHE SAW THAT IT WASN’T
REALLY ME.
REALLY ME. THAT WAS THE MAIN THING.
SHE SAW THAT MY HEART WASN’T IN
IT AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD BE.
>> BUT LEAVING THE KLAN MEANT
LOSING YOUR HOME.
YOUR HOME WAS IN THE MUSEUM
BUILDING.
BUILDING. >> IT MEANT LOSING EVERYTHING.
>> YOU WERE IN BUSINESS WITH A
FELLOW KLANSMAN.
FELLOW KLANSMAN. YOU LEAVE YOUR HOME HOMELESS.
REVEREND, HOW DID YOU COME INTO
HIS LIFE?
HIS LIFE? HOW DID YOU SEE HE WAS HOMELESS
AND IN NEED OF HELP?
THAT IS FOR YOU, REV.
>> REPEAT THAT, PLEASE.
>> HOW DID YOU SEE MIKE NEEDLEED
HELP?
HELP? >> I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE POLICE
STATION.
STATION. AND MIKE WAS ON THE TRUCK.
JUDY, HIS WIFE, AND TWO
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. AND THE FBI, ALL OF THE LAW
ENFORCEMENTREVEREND, I KNOW
YOU DON’T TRUST ME, I KNOW YOU
DON’T CARE ABOUT ME.
BUT THESE PEOPLE WON’T EVEN FEED
US.
US. WE DON’T HAVE FOOD, WE DON’T
HAVE SHELTER.
HAVE SHELTER. WE’RE JUST OUT HERE.
HE SAID, I NEED SOME FOOD.
I DIDN’T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT HE
WAS SERIOUS.
WAS SERIOUS. I SAID WHEN I COME OUT FROM THE
POLICE STATION, I’LL MAKE SURE
YOU HAVE SOME FOOD.
SO, ONE WHITE POLICE OFFICER
SAID, DON’T FEED HIM.
IT MAKES OUR TOWN LOOK BAD.
I SAID, OUR TOWN HAS BEEN
LOOKING BAD A LONG TIME.
IT’S NAMED AFTER A 19th CENTURY
SLAVE TRADER.
SLAVE TRADER. WE CAN’T PUT ALL THIS ON THOSE
YOUNG PEOPLE.
YOUNG PEOPLE. AND THEY NEED FOOD.
SO, WHEN I CAME BACK OUT --
>> YOU HELPED HIM.
THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF AN
UNUSUAL AND BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP
THAT CHANGE YOURD LIFE.
WHEN WE COME BACK, WE’RE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS STORY IS
MAKING ITS WAY TO THE BIG SCREEN
[ APPLAUSE ] >>> WE’RE BACK, NOW, WITH TWO
UNLIKELY FRIENDS, FORMER
KLANSMAN, MIKE BURDEN AND
REVEREND DAVID KENNEDY, WHOSE
BOND HAS INSPIRED AN UPCOMING
FILM AND BOOK.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS EXCLUSIVE
CLIP.
CLIP. >> WHAT ARE YOU DOING OVER
THERE?
THERE? IS THAT YOUR UNCLE?
>> LYNCHED BY THE KLAN.
>> AREN’T YOU WORRIED THAT’S
GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU?
>> SHOULD I BE?
IF YOU TRULY WANT TO LEAVE THE
KLAN, YOUR FIRST STEP IS
ADMITTING WHAT YOU’VE DONE.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. ALSO JOINING US NOW ARE THE
FILM’S WRITER AND DIRECTOR,
ANDREW HECKLER, AND THE AUTHOR
OF THE BOOK "BURDEN," COURTNEY
HARGRAVE.
HARGRAVE. WELCOME TO YOU ALL.
REVEREND, LET ME START WITH YOU.
YOU HELPED MIKE.
YOU HELPED HIS FAMILY.
YOU HELPED GET HIM CLOTHED AND
FOOD AND SO ON.
THEN, MIKE MADE A SHOCKING
CONFESSION TO YOU, WHICH WAS
WHAT?
WHAT? >> JULIE TOLD MIKE, IF YOU’RE
GOING TO MARRY ME -- I’M GOING
TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO JUDY --
YOU’RE GOING TO REMEMBER
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. AND SHE LEFT MY OFFICE.
AND MIKE SAID, I DON’T KNOW HOW
TO TELL YOU.
THAT IS THE WORDS.
I DON’T KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU.
I SAID, GIVE IT TO ME RAW.
YOU’RE ALL RIGHT.
YOU’RE IN MY OFFICE.
AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.
HE TOLD ME HE HAD PLANNED TO
ASSASSINATE ME.
ASSASSINATE ME. >> HE PLANNED TO ASSASSINATE ME.
>> THERE WERE TWO OCCASIONS THAT
HE KNEW WHO I WAS ON THOSE TWO
OCCASIONS.
OCCASIONS. HE SAID, I HAD THE TRIGGER,
READY TO PULL IT.
I HUGGED HIM AND TOLD HIM
EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT.
WE’RE IN GOD’S HOUSE.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. NOTWITHSTANDING THAT, YOU
CONTINUED TO HELP HIM.
DID HE GET YOU OUT OF THE
HATEFUL IDEOLOGY?
HATEFUL IDEOLOGY? DID HE PULL YOU OUT OF IT, MIKE?
>> HE WAS PART OF THE PLAN TO
GET ME OUT OF THERE.
BUT IT WAS LOVE THAT PULLED ME
OUT OF IT.
IT WAS LOVE.
IT WAS HIS HEART.
>> HIS HEART.
>> THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE
BLOWBACK FOR THE REVEREND AT HIS
CHURCH.
CHURCH. THEY DIDN’T BELIEVE IN THIS
INSTANT CONVERSION.
INSTANT CONVERSION. HOW COULD YOU?
THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS,
COURTNEY, YOU FOUND THE STORY
INTERESTING AND WROTE ABOUT IT.
WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE STORY THAT
APPEALED TO YOU?
>> CLEARLY, THE UNLIKELY
FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN REVEREND
KENNEDY AND MIKE BURDEN IS
INTERESTING ENOUGH ON ITS OWN.
THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS THAT
MOVED ME AS I EMBARKED ON
RESEARCH FOR THE BOOK.
AND WHAT WAS SO COMPELLING WAS
REVEREND KENNEDY TRIED TO
PROTEST THE SHOP, WHAT IT MEANT
FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, IN
PARTICULAR.
PARTICULAR. >> THE KLAN GIFT SHOP.
>> AND THE REACTION WAS
POSITIVE.
POSITIVE. PEOPLE WANTED TO HELP IN HIS
PROTESTS.
PROTESTS. SO QUICKLY, APATHY SETS IN.
AND PEOPLE FEEL LIKE, I WOULD
RATHER NOT BE UNCOMFORTABLE.
I WOULD RATHER THIS MAN NOT DRAW
ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS.
THEN, HE STARTS TO EXPERIENCE
SOME BLOWBACK BECAUSE HE SEEMS
LIKE THE TROUBLEMAKER, RATHER
THAN UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT IS
HE’S FIGHTING FOR.
>> IT IS CRAZY WHEN YOU THINK OF
A KLAN MEMORABILIA SHOP, ON MAIN
STREET IN RELATIVELY MODERN-DAY
AMERICA.
AMERICA. YOU’RE MAKING THIS FILM.
YOU HAD THE RIGHTS FOR 20-PLUS
YEARS?
YEARS? >> ABOUT 20 YEARS.
>> YOU GET FOREST WHITAKER AND
GARRETT TO SIGN ON.
WHAT IS THIS COMING OUT?
>> LATE THIS YEAR, TOP OF NEXT
YEAR.
YEAR. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE MESSAGE
OF THE FILM IS?
>> YOU KNOW, IT’S PRETTY SIMPLE.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE STORY,
KLANSMAN OPENS KKK SHOP IN SMALL
SOUTHERN TOWN, I COULDN’T
BELIEVE IT.
BELIEVE IT. >> WHOA.
>> WHOA. >> THEN, I SAW AN ARTICLE THAT
SAID, KLANSMAN SELLS REDNECK
SHOP TO BLACK BAPTIST MINISTER.
>> THE REVEREND, IN A SERIES OF
EVENTS, NOW OWNS THE KKK MUSEUM.
[ LAUGHTER ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
CRAZY.
CRAZY. XWD.
XWD. >> I PICK
>> I PICK GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD. >> I PICKED UP THE PHONE AND
SPENT TIME WITH THESE PEOPLE AND
REALIZED THEY’RE HEROES.
THESE PEOPLE, MIKE BURDEN AND
REVEREND KENNEDY AND THE
CONGREGATION, THEY’RE HEROES.
THE MESSAGE OF THE MOVIE IS
SIMPLE, TO PARAPHRASE KING
CONDITIONING
CONDITIONING MARTIN LUTHER KING.
YOU CANNOT TURN AN ENEMY INTO A
FRIEND THROUGH HATE.
YOU CAN ONLY TURN AN ENEMY TO A
FRIEND THROUGH LOVE.
>> THANK YOU.
YOU SHOULD BUY THE BOOK AND GO