William Henry Davis

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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.

[edit] References

Dr. William Henry Davis

G.F. Richings 1902 edition of Evidences of Progress among Colored people http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/iss/EraOfProgress/Bios/murphyanddavis.gif

William H. Davis, in: NOTABLE KENTUCKY AFRICAN AMERICANS, The University of Kentucky

SCOTT'S OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN NEGRO IN THE WORLD WAR BY EMMETT J. SCOTT, AM., LL.D.Special Adjutant to Secretary of War http://net.lib.byu.edu/~rdh7/wwi/comment/Scott/ScottTC.htm#contents

[edit] External links

http://www.uky.edu/Libraries/NKAA/ University of Kentucky NOTABLE KENTUCKY AFRICAN AMERICANS
The John P. Davis Collection
http://www.johnpdaviscollection.org

[edit] 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.