The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Davis House

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Davis House, Johnson C. Smith University

Institution Name: Johnson C. Smith University
Original/Historic Place Name: Dr. George E. Davis House
Location on Campus: 301 Campus St.
Date(s) of Construction and Designer(s):

1890s

original construction Unknown

Type of Place: Individual building
Style(s): (Glossary)
Materials:

Foundation: concrete; brick

Walls: brick; wood lathe

Roof: asphalt shingle

Function:

ca. 1890

private residence

Significance: architecture, culture, education, history
Landmark designation:

none

Narrative: see below
References: see below

Narrative:
The Mecklenburg County Historic Landmarks Commission records that Dr. George Edward Davis "was an important figure in three respects: he was the first black professor at Johnson C. Smith University, and, as Dean of the Faculty, a major shaper of education at that institution; he built a number of houses near his own as rental housing, thus molding the character of that part of the neighborhood near the university; and he was a North Carolina state agent for the Rosenwald Fund, and in that capacity had a direct hand in raising more than a half-million dollars for many of the black schools built in the state which were partially financed through the fund. The influence of George E. Davis on Johnson C. Smith, Biddleville and education for blacks in the state is unmistakable." Dr. Davis was an 1883 graduate of Biddle University, now known as Johnson C. Smith University.

References:

I. Bibliographic sources:

Parker, Inez Moore. The Biddle-Johnson C. Smith University Story. Charlotte, NC: Charlotte Publishing, 1975.

II. Location of other data: