Memoranda on LDF Dinner Honoring Dr. John W. Davis

    ith Logan 
NAACP Le 

0 Co 

Dr. John W. Davis, the NAACP Legal Defense and 

consultant. You are cordially invited to cover the reception, which wi 

Dr. Davis, who established t 

ience Foun 

for Liberia. 

Richard C. Gerstenberg, 

of the committee, 

Theodor: 

Keith, Ersa 

Sullivan, Roy Wilk 

ince Dr. Davis Initiated the 

anization ha 

a 

(October 4) to announce plans for 

cationa and Ed 

10019 

£ fe istinguished business a’ 

nd's educe 

1 West he Council Room of the 

Defense Fund's educational 

first board of directors of the Nation 

officer of 

rman. Other m 

include: Wil 

Christorpher 

Jordan, Jr., < M. Hesburgh, James Hi 

C. Russell, Poston, John D. Roc 

and Mrs. 

educatio 

awarded more than 1 

Jack Greenberg, Dorothy 

10/1/74 

24S 



“YWY NYPR3I 

/FROM PR NEWSWIRE--NYC 212-8352-S400/LA 215-626-5501/MIA 305-576-5020/ 

TO CITY DESK 

vf cae GB 

DR. DEREK CURTIS BOK, PRESIDENT OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY, WILL 

ADDRESS 1500 BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AT 4 DINNER HONORING 

THE EDUCATOR, DR. JOHN W. DAVIS. 

THE DINNER WILL PAY TRIBUTE TO A MAN WHO HAS DEVOTED HIS LIFE 

TO EDUCATION, AND WILL EXPRESS SOME MEASURE OF THE REGARD AND 

ESTEE IN WHICH DR. DAVIS, NOW 86, IS HELD BY ROTH THE BLACK AND 

WHITE COMMUNITY. PROCEEDS FROM THE DINNER WILL BENEFIT THE NAACP 

LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND. 

THE PRESS IS INVITED TO SEND 4 REPRESENTATIVE TO COVER THE EVENT 

WHICH WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, NOV. 11, AT 8 P.M. IN THE NEW YORK 

HILTON HOTEL. THE PRESS ALSO IS INVITED TO ATTEND A RECEPTION 

TO BE HELD IN THE HOTEL FROM 7 TO 8 P.M. 

RICHARD C. GERSTENBERG, REITIRING CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE 

OFFICER OF GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, IS DINNER COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN. 

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE INCLUDE -- CHRISTOPHER F. EDLEY, 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND: JACK GREENBERG, 

DIRECTOR-COUNSEL OF THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND: DOROTHY I. HEIGHT, 

NATIONAL PRESIDENT, THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN: REV. 

THEODORE HESBURGH, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME: JAMES 

L. HICKS, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, AMSTERDAM NEWS: VERNON E. JORDAN, 

Re, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATTOWALURBAW LEAGUES SUUDGE DAMON ds 

KEITH, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN: 

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, PRESIDENT, WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE: 

REV. LEON H. SULLIVAN, CHAIRMAN, OPPORTUNITIES INDUSTRIALIZATION 

CENTERS OF AMERICA: AND ROY WILKINS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTR 

NATIOWAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE. 

DR. DAVIS HAS DIRECTED THE EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONS OF THE NAACP 

LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND FOR 20 YEARS. FROM 1919 

TO 1953, HE WAS PRESIDENT OF WEST VIRGINIA STATE COLLEGE. HE 

ALSO SERVED 4S A “EMBER OF THE FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND AS DIRECTOR OF THE U.S. TECHNICAL 

COOPERATIVE ADMINISTRATION FOR LIBERIA. 

CONTACT -- RUTH LOGAN OF NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL 

FUND AT 212-586-8397. 

-0- 

/NOV. 4/ 

=s1< 



wy NYPR28 

/FROM PR NEWSWIRE--NYC 212-832-9400/LA 213-626-5501/MIA 305-576-5020/ 

TO CITY DESK 

JENS Tt 

DR. DEREK CURTIS BOK, PRESIDENT OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY, WILL 

ADDRESS BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AT A DINNER HONORING DR. JOHN 

W. DAVIS, EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND 

EDUCATIONAL FUND. 

THE PRESS IS INVITED TO COVER THE EVENT WHICH WILL BE HELD ON 

MONDAY, NOV. 11 AT 8 P.M. IN THE NEW YORK HILTON HOTEL. THE PRESS 

ALSO IS INVITED TO ATTEND A RECEPTION TO BE HELD AT THE HOTEL FROM 

7TO 8 P.M. 

RICHARD Cs GERSTENBERG, RETIRING CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE 

OFFICER OF GENERAL “MOTORS CORPORATION, IS DINNER COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN. 

DR. DAVIS, NOW 86, HAS DIRECTED THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND'S 

EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONS FOR 20 YEARS. FROM 1919 TO 1955, HE WAS 

PRESIDENT OF WEST VIRGINIA STATE COLLEGE. HE ALSO SERVED AS A 

MEMRER OF THE FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE 

FOUNDATION AND AS A DIRECTOR OF THE U.S. TECHNICAL COOPERATIVE 

ADMINISTRATION FOR LIBERIA. 

PROCEEDS FROM THE DINNER, SPONSORED BY THE FRIENDS OF DR. DAVIS 

WILL GO TO THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND. 

CONTACT NORMAN BLOOMFIELD OF NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL 

FUND AT 212-586-3397. 

=-0= 

/NOV. 8/ 

-28= 



From: Norman Bloomfield 
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund 
10. Columbus Circle 
New York, New York 10019 Mo VA y/7 qe 

oe 212 586-8397 PR. Mnrurs 

7 Math prt 
MEMO TO CITY EDITOR 

WLIB 
Dr. Derek Curtis Bok, President of Harvard University, will 

address 1,500 business and community leaders at a dinner honoring the 

educator, Dr. John W. Davis. 

The dinner will pay tribute to a man who has devoted his life 

to education, and will express some measure of the regard and esteem in 

which Dr. Davis, now 86, is held by both the black and white community. 

Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the NAACP Legal Defense and 

Educational Fund. 

You are cordially invited to send a representative to cover 

the event which will be held on Monday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m. in 

the New York Hilton Hotel. The press also is invited to attend a 

reception to be held in the hotel from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. 

Richard C. Gerstenberg, retiring chairman and chief executive 

officer of General Motors Corporation, is dinner committee chairman. 

Other members of the committee include: Christopher F. Edley, execu- 

tive director of the United Negro College Fund; Jack Greenberg, direc- 

tor-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund; Dorothy I. Height, national pres- 

ident, The National Council of Negro Women; and 

Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, president, University of Notre 

Dame; James L. Hicks, executive editor, Amsterdam News; Vernon E. Jor- 

dan, Jr., executive director, National Urban League; Judge Damon J. 

Keith, United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan; 

John D. Rockefeller IV, president, West Virginia Wesleyan College; 

(more) 



-2- 

.Rev.:Leon H. Sullivan, chairman, Opportunities Industrialization 

Centers of America; and Roy Wilkins, executive director, National 

Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 

Dr. Davis had directed the educational functions of the NAACP 

Legal Defense and Educational Fund for 20 years. From 1919 to 1953, 

he was president of West Virginia State College. He also served as a 

member of the first board of directors of the National Science Founda- 

tion and as director of the U.S. Technical Cooperative Administration 

for Liberia. 



Educational Fund QO t 

i9 Columbus 
New York, 10019 

212 586-8397 

FOR 

4&4 

NEW YORK, N.Y.,-- Dr. Derek €urtis Bok, 

munity leaders at a dinner honoring Dr. John W. Davis, educa- 

dinner, to be held in New York City on 

ibute to the 86-year-old educator who 

lished the Legal Defense Fund's educational progr 

serving for 34 years as president of West Virginia St 

College. 

Richard C. Gerstenberg, retiring 

executive officer of General Motors Cooperation, 

committee chairman. .Other members of the committee 

William T. Coieman, Jr., Ossie Davis, Christopher F. Edley, 

Jack Greenberg, Dorothy I. Height, Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, 

dames L. Hicks, Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Judge Damon J. Keith, 

Ersa Poston, John D. Rockefeller IV, Harvey C. Russell, Rev. 

Leon H. Sullivan, Roy likins and Mrs. Whitney M. Young, 

Dr Davis has directed LDF's educational functions 

fi for twenty years. He was asked te serve in th capacity by 

L 

(more) 



-2- 

Defense Fund, shortly after the historic Supreme Court decision 

of 1954 which outlawed racial segregationan public schoo/ 5, 

In the years that followed, Dr. Davis undertook two 

major tasks: 

First, he spearheaded a movement to protect thou- 

sands of black teachers and principals fired or demoted when 

unitary school systems were established and ail-black schools 

closed. To accomplish this objective, he helped set up an 

emergency assistance fund for displaced teachers, furnished 

information for their professional improvement -- and guided 

research to help LDF lawyers bringing suits on behalf of 

black educators. 

Second, by 1964 Legal Defense Fund suits had 

desegregated public-supported colleges and universities in 

13 Southern sta In that year, Dr. Davis established LDF's 

scholarship program to help black students enter formerly eil- 

white Southern institutions of higher education. 

Since that time, the organization has awarded more 

than 1,000 scholarship grants to black students, and through its 

recently formed Earl Warren Legal Training Program, last year 

awarded 366 scholarships to black students attending 59 law 

schools. 

Born in Milledgeville, Ga. on February 11, 1888, Dr. 

Davis was graduated from Morehouse College in 1911. He taught 

at Morehouse until 1915, and subsequently completed graduate 

work at the University of Chicago. He was appointed president 

of West Virginia State College in 1919 and served in that 

capacity until 1953. During the years of his tenure, he 

(more) 



a 

lding an unaccredited institution (which in 1919 

college students and 384 high school students) into 

s leading land grant colleges. Largely as J g g 

a a result of his educational efforts, the College today enrolis 

the most integrated institution in 

governments of Haiti and Liberia, 

Davis served as 

board of directors of the National 

tion and, in the early 1950's, as a director 

of the U. S. Technical Cooperative Administration for Liberia.