George E. Davis (educator)
George E. Davis | |
|---|---|
George E. Davis and his family, c. 1917 | |
| Born | George Edward Davis March 24, 1862 Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | January 11, 1959 (aged 96) Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Burial place | West Pinewood Cemetery, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Education | Biddle University, Howard University |
| Occupations | Educator, Black community leader |
| Spouse | Marie Elizabeth Gaston (m. 1891) |
| Children | 7 |
George Edward Davis (1862–1959) was an American educator, and Black community leader in North Carolina. He served as a professor of natural science at Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University) a historically black university, and was involved in the building of Rosenwald schools. A historical marker near his home site commemorates his history.[1]
Early life and education
George Edward Davis was born in March 24, 1862, in Wilmington, North Carolina.[1][2][3] His parents were Hester Ann (née Price) and Edward Alexander Davis.[4][5] Davis attended school at Gregory Normal Institute in Wilmington, North Carolina.[4][5]
Davis graduated in 1883 from Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University) in Charlotte, North Carolina.[2] He received a doctorate from Howard University. Davis had honorary degrees from Biddle University (PhD), and Lincoln University (LLD) in Pennsylvania.[2]
He was married to Marie Elizabeth "Mamie" Gaston in 1891, and they had 7 children.[5]
Career
In 1885 he became Biddle University's first Black professor, where he remained for the next 35 years as a teacher.[1][2] In 1905 he became Dean of Faculty.[1] He is listed in the school's 1914–1915 catalogue.[6]
In 1921, he left Biddle to organize and fundraise for Rosenwald schools in North Carolina.[1][2] His appointment as supervisor of Rosenwald buildings in 1921 was by Nathan Carter Newbold, the first director of the Division of Negro Education in North Carolina.[4] He retired in 1935. The program built 795 schools for African Americans in North Carolina.[1][4]
He served as the president (1930–1932) and executive secretary (1932–1943) of the North Carolina Teachers Association (NCTA).[7]
Death and legacy
Davis died on January 11, 1959, in Greensboro, North Carolina, and was buried at West Pinewood Cemetery.[3]
Davis was profiled in the book, History of the American Negro and His Institutions, Vol. 4 North Carolina (1917), edited by Arthur Bunyan Caldwell.[4][5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "George E. Davis 1862–1959 (L-103)". North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NC DNCR). January 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Norris, Hubert Webster (May 27, 1951). "Negro Success Story: George Edward Davis Leader in Education". The Charlotte Observer. p. 26. Retrieved February 6, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "George Edward Davis, 1959 (North Carolina, Deaths and Burials, 1898–1994)". FamilySearch.org. 1959.
- ^ a b c d e Newkirk, Richard T.; Stack, Claudia (February 27, 2019). "Local Shout: The Other George Davis". PortCity Daily.
- ^ a b c d Caldwell, Arthur Bunyan (1917). "George Edward Davis". History of the American Negro and his institutions (includes photo). Atlanta, Georgia: A. B. Caldwell Publishing Co. pp. 52–54 – via HathiTrust.
- ^ Biddle University General Catalog [1914–1915] (PDF) – via Internet Archive.
- ^ History of the North Carolina Teachers Association (includes photo). Washington, D.C.: NEA, Gelman Library, George Washington. p. 51.