Today in Wheeling History: November 29--George Davis, a distinguished author and professor who helped integrate Wheeling High School and served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force, was born in Shepherdstown, WV (1939).
George Davis, born on November 29, 1939, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, is a renowned African American novelist and professor emeritus in creative writing at Rutgers University, Newark. Davis grew up in various small towns in West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland, where his father, Clarence Davis, served as a Methodist preacher. In 1954, Davis and his brother Vernon integrated Wheeling High School, marking a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement. After graduating from Baltimore City College, a high school, Davis attended Colgate University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1957. He later obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing and film from Columbia University. Davis's master's thesis, "Coming Home," was published by Random House in 1972 and is based on his experiences as a captain in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He flew 47 missions and later worked as a reporter for The Washington Post, quickly rising to the position of day city editor. Davis is also known for his creative non-fiction book, "Black Life in Corporate America," co-authored with Clegg Watson. His contributions to literature and his role in the Civil Rights Movement have left a lasting impact. George Davis continues to inspire through his writing and teaching.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/M4U9d), Encyclopedia.com (https://shorturl.at/Lkbc6), The History Makers (https://shorturl.at/4t1UL)
Photo credits: Amazon
George Davis, born on November 29, 1939, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, is a renowned African American novelist and professor emeritus in creative writing at Rutgers University, Newark. Davis grew up in various small towns in West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland, where his father, Clarence Davis, served as a Methodist preacher. In 1954, Davis and his brother Vernon integrated Wheeling High School, marking a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement. After graduating from Baltimore City College, a high school, Davis attended Colgate University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1957. He later obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing and film from Columbia University. Davis's master's thesis, "Coming Home," was published by Random House in 1972 and is based on his experiences as a captain in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He flew 47 missions and later worked as a reporter for The Washington Post, quickly rising to the position of day city editor. Davis is also known for his creative non-fiction book, "Black Life in Corporate America," co-authored with Clegg Watson. His contributions to literature and his role in the Civil Rights Movement have left a lasting impact. George Davis continues to inspire through his writing and teaching.
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/M4U9d), Encyclopedia.com (https://shorturl.at/Lkbc6), The History Makers (https://shorturl.at/4t1UL)
Photo credits: Amazon
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