Russell H. Davis
American historian
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Family and education
He was born October 29, 1897, in Cleveland to Jacob Davis and Rosalie née Dite Davis were his parents,[1] and his brother was Lawyer and Ohio state legislator Harry Edward Davis.[3] His father was a post worker and his mother was French.[4] Davis graduated from Central High School in 1916, Adelbert College in 1920 with a bachelor's degree, received a B.S. degree from the Case School of Applied Sciences in 1922, and received a master's degree in education from Western Reserve University in 1933.[3] He married Claire Richardson in 1923 and they had a son Russell Lee in 1924 who died in 1933.[1]
Career
He started his career as a chemical engineer for Grasseli Chemical Co, before swapping to education teaching maths and science at Kennard Jr. High School.[1] He then moved to Central High School in 1932, going on to obtain his master's degree in education in 1933.[1] He was the principal of the first black junior high school in Cleveland.[5]
In 1965 he retired from education after a career being the principal of three schools.[5]
He wrote a book called Memorable Negroes in Cleveland's Past in 1969,[1][6] and then in 1972 he wrote a history of the African community in Cleveland called Black Americans in Cleveland from George Peake to Carl B. Stokes, 1796-1969,[5][7]
A few months before his death he testified in a case accusing the Cleveland school district of racial bias and promoting segregation.[5] He said that although not official policy it had been the practice to place black educators in black schools.[5]
Death
He died November 14, 1976, and is buried at Lake View Cemetery.[1][4]
