[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 135 (Friday, September 19, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE 
                           L. CLIFFORD DAVIS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARC A. VEASEY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2014

  Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to celebrate an entire 
life of accomplishment, fighting for civil rights, and devotion to 
improving the lives of others for a greatly respected constituent of 
mine in Fort Worth, the Honorable L. Clifford Davis.
  Following graduation from Philander Smith College with a degree in 
Business Administration in 1945, Mr. Davis then enrolled at Howard 
University Law School for the school year 1945-1946.
  In the spring of 1946, he applied for admission to the University of 
Arkansas Law School but, because he is African-American, was not 
admitted. In the school year 1946-1947, he enrolled at Atlanta 
University majoring in Economics but continued to seek admission to the 
University of Arkansas Law School. In the fall of 1947, he returned to 
Howard Law School but continued correspondence with the University of 
Arkansas in an effort to gain admittance.
  In January 1948, a press conference was called at the University of 
Arkansas to announce that if he applied he would be admitted if he 
enrolled. But, because of the ``separate but unequal'' arrangements at 
Arkansas, Mr. Davis elected to remain at Howard and graduate with a 
Juris Doctor Degree in 1949. His efforts ultimately led to the 
University of Arkansas' decision to integrate its graduate programs, 
becoming the first southern state university to do so without 
litigation.
  After graduating from law school, Mr. Davis returned to Arkansas and 
was admitted to practice law on July 4, 1949. He has practiced law in 
Arkansas and Texas for over 65 years and represented numerous 
plaintiffs in public school de-segregation cases. After serving as 
legal counsel for the NAACP in the 1960s, he became one of the first 
African American state district judges in Tarrant County, serving from 
1983 to 1988 in Criminal District Court No. 2.
  For his Civil Rights efforts, the NAACP has awarded him the highest 
award for Civil Rights litigation, and he has been recognized by the 
National Bar Association's Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Black Hall of 
Fame. On the local level, he has received numerous awards including the 
Blackstone Award, the highest award presented to a lawyer, and the 
Civil Gavel Award, the highest award presented to a judge, both awards 
presented by the Tarrant County Bar Association. Today, the L. Clifford 
Davis Elementary School in Fort Worth bears his name.
  Judge Davis has been Counsel at the Johnson, Vaughn & Heiskell law 
firm since 1989, where he still practices law today. Despite the great 
time demands of these many accomplishments, he served his country in 
the military from 1954 to 1955 and was also an Assistant Professor in 
the Business Department at Paul Quinn College from 1952 to 1954.
  Judge Davis is happily married to Ethel R. Davis and they have two 
daughters, Avis and Karen; and is a member of the St. Andrews United 
Methodist Church.
  I am grateful for Judge L. Clifford Davis' many decades of service to 
this nation in advancing Civil Rights, serving in our military, and 
paving the way for others by establishing scholarships so that students 
can follow in his path. Our nation is grateful as well for his service.

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