Allison Davis, Ph.D.

1977 Solomon Carter Fuller Award Recipient

Lecture Title: Handling Aggression by Blacks and Other Subordinated Groups

Mr. Davis was a distinguished American figure known for his multifaceted contributions as an educator, anthropologist, writer, researcher, and scholar. He made history as the second African American to hold a full faculty position at a prominent white university, following in the footsteps of Dr. Julian H. Lewis, when he joined the esteemed staff of the University of Chicago in 1942. Throughout his academic career, which spanned several decades, he remained at the University of Chicago, where he was recognized as one of the most promising black scholars of his generation.

His academic journey began with remarkable achievements, including graduating as valedictorian from Williams College in 1924 with a degree in English summa cum laude and earning membership in Phi Beta Kappa. He continued his scholarly pursuits by obtaining a master's degree from Harvard University in 1925. Following his graduation, he embarked on a teaching career at the Hampton Institute, known today as Hampton University.

Mr. Davis's legacy is marked by his groundbreaking anthropology research on southern race and class dynamics during the 1930s, his exploration of intelligence quotient tests in the 1940s and 1950s, and his advocacy for education, which significantly influenced the development of the federal Head Start Program. His impactful contributions to academia and society earned him recognition, including a commemorative postage stamp from the United States Postal Service. In 1977, he was honored as the recipient of the prestigious Solomon Carter Fuller Award.