Derek Black was the heir-apparent to the hate group Stormfront that was founded by his father. Growing up, he had been exposed regularly to a version of medieval history propagated by white supremacists. He was drawn to the period, even making his own armor and participating in medieval reenactment groups. Homeschooled for primary and secondary school, Derek then attended a liberal arts college in Florida, especially to study medieval history. Once there, his preconceptions were challenged regularly inside and outside of the classroom. Finally, he had to confront his beliefs:

At that point, Derek Black left Stormfront, turned his back on his legacy of white supremacy, sought to redress the wrongs he had committed, and embraced a different life as a graduate student of medieval studies.

While there were multiple factors in Derek's conversion, his liberal arts education played a crucial role. From the types of classes to the diversity of other students that such colleges attract, the liberal arts experience helped Derek think critically about the fallacies of the “truth” he had been exposed to all of his life.