William Henry Davis
Encyclopedia
William Henry Davis was born in Louisville, Kentucky
, on February 18, 1872. The son of former slaves Jerry and Susan Davis, Davis graduated form Louisville Colored High School in June 1888 at the age of 16, second in his class of eighteen students. Davis delivered the graduation address he titled, "The Dignity of Labor". In 1902 Howard University
awarded Davis a Doctorate of Pharmacology.
In Washington D.C, Davis started the Mott Night business High School. The school district heard about the success of Davis's school and asked him to become principal of Armstrong High School.
In October 1917, U.S. Secretary Baker appointed Emmett J. Scott, a noted assistant to Booker T. Washington
, to the position of assistant to the Secretary of War. Scott's appointment was, at the time, the highest government commission ever given an African American. Scott appointed William H. Davis as his own special assistant and manager of his five-person War Department staff.
At the War Department, Davis handled the complaints of black soldiers, making sure they and their families received the government benefits to which they were entitled and assuring that the newly instituted Selective Service regulations were applied equally to all people.
Dr. Davis served as Secretary to the Presidential Commission investigating the economic conditions in the Virgin Islands.
Richings, G. F.
Academic Affairs Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
2000.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, on February 18, 1872. The son of former slaves Jerry and Susan Davis, Davis graduated form Louisville Colored High School in June 1888 at the age of 16, second in his class of eighteen students. Davis delivered the graduation address he titled, "The Dignity of Labor". In 1902 Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
awarded Davis a Doctorate of Pharmacology.
In Washington D.C, Davis started the Mott Night business High School. The school district heard about the success of Davis's school and asked him to become principal of Armstrong High School.
In October 1917, U.S. Secretary Baker appointed Emmett J. Scott, a noted assistant to Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
, to the position of assistant to the Secretary of War. Scott's appointment was, at the time, the highest government commission ever given an African American. Scott appointed William H. Davis as his own special assistant and manager of his five-person War Department staff.
At the War Department, Davis handled the complaints of black soldiers, making sure they and their families received the government benefits to which they were entitled and assuring that the newly instituted Selective Service regulations were applied equally to all people.
Dr. Davis served as Secretary to the Presidential Commission investigating the economic conditions in the Virgin Islands.
External links
- http://www.uky.edu/Libraries/NKAA/ University of Kentucky NOTABLE KENTUCKY AFRICAN AMERICANS
- The John P. Davis Collection
- http://www.johnpdaviscollection.org
Sources
Documenting the South - Evidences of Progress Among Colored People: Electronic Edition.Richings, G. F.
Academic Affairs Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
2000.