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NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC.

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Left, John W. Davis; right, top, past Imperial Potentates Leon Berry and Charles Dargan at LDF headquarters for presentation of 1980 check from Prince Hall Shriners; bottom, Imperial Potentate Harry E. Smith of Toledo, Jack Greenberg, and Mrs. Dorothy Jenkins Scott, Imperial Commandress, Daughters of Isis, Detroit.

He was, as one civic leader would say about him, "the tallest tree of the forest." For in the 92 years which proceeded his passing last July, John Warren Davis had been a teacher, a scientist and a diplomat. But most of all, said Howard University president James E. Cheek at a memorial service in Englewood, N.J., John W. Davis would be remembered as "a giant in civil rights."
His first and most beloved career was as a teacher. At the age of 31, Dr. Davis was appointed president of West Virginia State College. Over the next 34 years he would guide the growth and development of this small school in the mountains from an enrollment of 21 students to one of nearly 2,000.
At the age of 65, when men of lesser vision look forward to retirement, Dr. Davis began a second career when President Truman appointed him to serve under this country's first black Ambassador, Edward R. Dudley, as Director of American Technical Services Assistance to Liberia.
Upon returning from foreign service, Dr. Davis was asked by Thurgood Marshall, then Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, to become its Director of Education. Thus, at the age of 68, Dr. Davis began his third career, serving with distinction until his death last year.
During the course of his 92 years, there was little in the work of John W. Davis which could be considered "unfinished." Even in the moments preceding his death on that Saturday morning last July, he was at home preparing to come to his office at LDF to work for the benefit of others. High on his agenda that day was continuing work to complete a project involving Prince Hall Masons. Building upon the solid foundation laid down by Justice Marshall he succeeded in demonstrating, to Prince Hall Masons how indispensable their support was. By 1979, their contributions to LDF totaled more than $800,000.
To raise this to $1,000,000 was the goal and challenge Dr. Davis set for himself. In planning this project, Dr. Davis was always careful to point out that the investment Prince Hall Masons were making in LDF was being returned, many fold, through the several millions for black workers and their families won from cases in employment discrimination and back pay awards. This is money not won for LDF but for the people it represented. That figure for the past two years alone is $10.1 million.
To quote Dr. Davis from a letter to the Grand Masters in October, 1979:
"It is my hope that this proposal will meet with the enthusiastic approval of each of our Grand Masters and Members of their Grand Lodges, so that our Prince Hall Family can boast that it has been given one million dollars for the protection and advancement of the legal and constitutional rights of Negroes in this country...."

Board of Directors

Chairman of the Board:
William T. Coleman, Jr.

President: Julius L. Chambers

Vice President: Wiley A. Branton

Secretaries:
Dr. George D. Cannon
Constance S. Lindau

Treasurer:
Robert H. Preiskel

Director-Counsel:
Jack Greenberg

Associate Counsel:
James M. Nabrit, III
Mrs. Henry Aaron
Mrs. Farrow R. Allen
Eleanor S. Applewhaite
John T. Baker
Jean K. Benjamin
Wiley A Branton
Helen L. Buttenwieser
George D. Cannon
Julius L. Chambers
I.H. Clayborn
William K. Coblentz
William T. Coleman, Jr.
Ossie Davis
Peggy C. Davis
Peter J. DeLuca
Adrian W. DeWind
Anthony Downs
Charles T. Duncan
Marian Wright Edelman
Christopher F. Edley
Helen G. Edmonds
David E. Feller
John H. Filer
H. Minton Francis
Norman C. Francis
Marvin E. Frankel
John Hope Franklin
A. G. Gaston
Robert W. Gilmore
Charles V. Hamilton
Eliot Hubbard, III
Catherine Huber
Ann M. Hutchinson
Joseph E. Jenkins
Frank N. Jones
Jetta N. Jones
Anna J. Julian
Harry Kahn
Nicholas deB. Katzenbach
Ronald P. Klein
Constance S. Lindau
George E. Marshall, Jr.
Robert McDougal, Jr.
Paul Moore, Jr.
James M. Nabrit, Jr.
Mrs. Elliot M. Ogden, Jr.
Estelle M. Osborne*
Barrington D. Parker, Jr.
Robert S. Potter
Robert H. Preiskel
Harriet Rabb
Maxwell M. Rabb
F.F. Randolph, Jr.
Mrs. Samuel I. Rosenman
Harvey C. Russell
Bayard Rustin
William H. Scheide
Orville H. Schell, Jr.
Bernard G. Segal
Jacob Sheinkman

Join us in helping to maintain a strong and energetic program against racial injustice.

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