James Curran Davis was a
politicianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the
stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Davis was born in
Franklin, GeorgiaNote: a former Franklin, Georgia is now West Point, Georgia.----Franklin is a city in Heard County, Georgia, United States. The population was 902 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Heard County...
. He attended
Reinhardt CollegeReinhardt University is a comprehensive university grounded in the liberal arts located in Waleska, Georgia, United States, with an off-campus center in Alpharetta, Georgia. Select programs are also offered in Cartersville, Marietta, and Epworth, Ga., and...
in
Waleska, GeorgiaWaleska is a city in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 616 at the 2000 census.-History:The first white settlement in the Waleska area began in the early 1830s. Among these first pioneer settlers were the Reinhardt, Heard and Rhyne families, who moved into the region...
and
Emory CollegeOxford College is a two-year residential college specializing in the foundations of liberal arts education, and is one of nine divisions of Emory University. The college is located on Emory University's original 1836 campus in Oxford, Georgia, 38 miles east of the main Atlanta campus...
in
Oxford, GeorgiaOxford is a city in Newton County, Georgia, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,892. It is the location of Oxford College of Emory University. The entire town is also designated as a shrine of the United Methodist Church. Additionally, Confederate soldiers are...
. During
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Davis served in the
United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. He worked as an attorney and served as a
state representativeThe Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
and a judge before being elected to represent
Georgia's 5th congressional districtGeorgia's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. Based in central Fulton and parts of Dekalb and Clayton counties, the heavily African American district includes the state capital and largest city of Atlanta as well as many of the surrounding suburbs...
in the
House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as a
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Davis served in Congress from January 3, 1947 - January 3, 1963.
Davis was a signatory to the 1956
Southern ManifestoThe Southern Manifesto was a document written February–March 1956 by Adisen and Charles in the United States Congress opposed to racial integration in public places. The manifesto was signed by 101 politicians from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South...
, a document expressing the opposition of Southern congressional representatives to integration.
