L. Clifford Davis facts for kids

L. Clifford Davis (born October 12, 1924 – died February 15, 2025) was an American lawyer and judge. He worked hard to fight for civil rights. His efforts helped African-American students get into the University of Arkansas Law School. Mr. Davis also served as a lawyer and judge for over 30 years. He even helped Thurgood Marshall with the famous Brown v. Board of Education case. This case was very important for ending segregation in schools.

Early Life and Education

L. Clifford Davis was born in Wilton, Arkansas, on October 12, 1924. In his hometown, black students could only go to school up to the eighth grade. To continue his education, Clifford moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. There, he attended Dunbar High School.

After high school, he graduated from Philander Smith College in 1945. He studied business there. The state of Arkansas offered to pay for Davis to go to an out-of-state school. This was to avoid him being in classes with white students. However, Davis realized that living in Washington, D.C., where Howard University was, cost a lot more. He decided he wanted to apply to the University of Arkansas Law School instead.

In 1947, after trying for two years, he was finally accepted. But there was a strict rule: he could not be in the same room as white students. This included classrooms, the library, and even restrooms. Because of these unfair rules, Davis chose to complete his law degree at Howard University in 1949. After finishing his studies, he returned to Arkansas.

A Career Fighting for Justice

After passing his bar exam, which allows someone to practice law, Davis started his own law office. This was in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In 1952, he moved to Waco, Texas, to teach at Paul Quinn College. He passed the bar exam in Texas too. By 1954, he was one of only two black lawyers in Fort Worth, Texas.

School Integration Efforts

In 1956, Mr. Davis filed a lawsuit in federal court. This lawsuit led to a court order to integrate public schools in Mansfield, Texas. Integration means allowing students of all races to attend the same schools. Even with the court order, threats of violence kept the schools segregated for some time.

In 1959, he won another important case called Flax v. Potts. This victory forced the schools in Fort Worth to integrate. His work helped open doors for many students.

Becoming a Judge

In 1977, L. Clifford Davis helped create the Fort Worth Black Bar Association. This group supported black lawyers. In 1983, Governor Mark White appointed him as a judge. He served in a criminal district court. He continued to be a judge until 1988. After that, he worked as a visiting judge until 2004.

Awards and Recognition

Mr. Davis received many awards for his important work. These included the NAACP’s William Robert Ming Award. He also got the Blackstone Award, which is the highest honor from the Tarrant County Bar Association. He was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame. Texas Lawyer also gave him a Lifetime Achievement award.

An elementary school in Fort Worth, Texas, is named after him. In 2017, when he was 92 years old, the University of Arkansas School of Law gave him an honorary doctorate degree. This was the degree he was unfairly denied back in 1949.

Personal Life and Legacy

L. Clifford Davis was married to Ethel Weaver, who passed away in 2015. They had two children together. He was a member of a United Methodist Church in Fort Worth.

Mr. Davis passed away on February 15, 2025, in a Fort Worth nursing home. He was 100 years old. His life showed how one person can make a huge difference in the fight for fairness and equality.