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                Ossie Davis


    African American actor, film director, and activist Ossie Davis was born Raiford Chatman Davis in Cogdell, GA Decomber 18, 1917. Davis, a Howard University graduate (at his parents' wish, graduating 1938), began his 7-decade long acting career with the Rose McClendon Players of Harlem, NY in 1939. His 1950 film debut, acting with Sidney Poitier, in the film No Way Out.

    Starting out Davis endured many of the same struggles most African American actors of that generation experienced. One such struggle was the desire to not take on typical subservient roles like that of a butler, maid or cook. All standard for black actors during that period of time. Rather, he followed the example of Sidney Poitier by playing much more distinguished characters. Davis was among the ranks of people like Poitier and Bill Cosby who found success within avoiding the stereotypical roles prior to 1970. In addition to his acting, Mr Davis, along with Melvin Van Peebles, became one of the first African American film directors.

    Later in life, Ossie gained recognition among a new generation of film viewers by acting in several Spike Lee movies, including Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever, She Hate me, and Get on the Bus. Davis also did commercial voice-over work and was the narrator of the early 1990's sitcom "Evening Shade," starring Burt Reynolds.

    Well known as civil rights activists, Davis along with wife actor Ruby Dee helped organize the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The eulogies of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and that of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz(Malcom X) were delivered by Ossie Davis, a personal friend of X. Brother Malcolm's eulogy was included in copies of The Autobiography of Malcom X and Mr. Davis not only re-read part of the eulogy towards the end of Spike Lee's film Malcom X, but original audio of the speach was included on the recently released DVD for the film.

    Among the honors Mr Davis and his wife Ruby Dee have received are the Kennedy Center Honors of 2004 and being named to the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame in 1989.

    Ossie Davis was found dead, of natural causes, on February 4th 2005.

Photo Courtesy of Howard University