James C. Davenport

James Davenport was born in Union Springs, Alabama in 1938. He earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education from Tuskegee University in 1958, and a master's and doctorate degree in physics from Howard University in 1960 and 1965, respectively.{{Cite web|last=Roberson|first=Stephen|date=December 12, 2020|title=February 14, 2020|url=https://nsbp.org/blogpost/1904681/362812/February-14-2020|website=National Society of Black Physicists}} During the summers of 1960–1964, he visited Petersburg, Virginia with the National Science Foundation to teach educators at Virginia State College (now Virginia State University).{{Cite web|last=Calos|first=Kimberly Ann|title=My neighbor, Jim Davenport|url=https://www.progress-index.com/article/20160103/NEWS/160109938|access-date=2021-02-24|website=The Progress-Index|language=en}}

Davenport began working at Virginia State University in 1968 as the head of the physics department. He worked there until 2003. He prioritized mentorship and teaching first-year physics courses during his time at Virginia State, encouraging students to pursue science degrees. He served as the program coordinator of Fermilab's summer student program from 1971 to 2014.{{Cite web|last=Poffenberger|first=Leah|date=August 31, 2017|title=Continuing a 40-year connection|url=https://news.fnal.gov/2017/08/continuing-40-year-connection/|website=Fermilab News}} The White House awarded Davenport the Initiative Faculty Award for Excellence in Science and Technology in 1988 for his work with students at an HBCU.{{Cite news|last=Engram|first=Dianne|date=November 4, 1988|title=Davenport Cited by White House as Outstanding Professor|page=4|work=FermiNews|url=https://history.fnal.gov/criers/FN_1988_11_04.pdf}} Other awards Davenport received include the Army Commendation Medal for Outstanding Work in Solid State Physics, and the Commonwealth of Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award of 1994 for Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Public Service.[https://history.aip.org/ead/20120385.html Ronald E. Mickens collection on African-American physicists], Box 1, File 11. Niels Bohr Library & Archives, American Institute of Physics. AR 2012-1067.

Davenport also conducted research in his career as a physicist. At VSU, he worked for NASA on research related to medium-energy physics and muon spin spectroscopy. He was a co-principal investigator on another NASA-supported research effort studying the radiation damage in solar-cell materials.{{Cite book|title=The African American Presence in Physics|publisher=Horton Lind Communication|year=1993|editor-last=Mickens|editor-first=Ronald|location=Atlanta|pages=54|chapter=James C. Davenport 1938-|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/DTIC_ADA364807/page/n60/mode/1up}}

Davenport was one of the earliest officers of the NSBP. In April 1977, when the NSBP was first inaugurated, Davenport served as one of the first two officers of Society; Walter E. Massey was the interim president and Davenport was the interim treasurer.{{Cite journal|last=Roach|first=Ronald|date=September 13, 2001|title=A focus on physics|url=https://diverseeducation.com/article/1634/|journal=Black Issues in Higher Education|volume=18|issue=15 |pages=24–28|via=Diverse Issues in Higher Education}} Almost a year later in March 1978, Davenport was elected as a full-time executive committee member{{Cite book|last=Davenport|first=James|title=The African American Presence in Physics|publisher=Horton Lind Communication|year=1993|editor-last=Mickens|editor-first=Ronald|location=Atlanta|pages=6–12|chapter=The National Society of Black Physicists: Reflections on Its Beginning|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/DTIC_ADA364807/page/n13}}

Davenport was an active member of the American Physical Society (APS), and participated on numerous APS committees, including the Education Committee, the Committee on Minorities, the selection committee for the APS Industrial Summer Intern Program, and the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics. In 1985, the then-Director of APS, Robert R. Wilson, wrote a letter of formal recognition to Davenport which thanked him for his many contributions to the society and to the physics community, in general.{{cite archive|first=Robert|file=11|accession=AR 2012-1067|oclc=|location=|institution=American Institute of Physics|repository=Niels Bohr Library & Archives|collection-url=https://history.aip.org/ead/20120385.html|collection=Ronald E. Mickens collection on African-American physicists|box=1|series=|last=Wilson|fonds=|pages=|page=|date=December 26, 1985|item-id=|type=Textual record|item-url=|item=Robert R. Wilson letter of recognition to James C. Davenport}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://history.fnal.gov/criers/8-15-1974.pdf Science Students Finish Fourth Summer Program], edited by Pearson, Margaret M.E., The Village Crier Vol. 6 No. 31, August 15, 1974
• [https://history.fnal.gov/historical/rights/nineteen_students.html Nineteen Students Participate in Fermilab's Fifth Summer Program for Minority Students], by James C. Davenport, The Village Crier Vol. 7 No. 28, July 10, 1975
• [https://physicstoday.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1063/1.3037587 Program at Fermilab for minority students], by J.C. Davenport, R.A. Carrigan Jr., F.T. Cole, and E. Malamud, Physics Today Vol. 30 No. 6, June 1, 1977

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Category:1938 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American physicists

Category:People from Union Springs, Alabama

Category:Howard University alumni

Category:Tuskegee University alumni

Category:Virginia State University faculty

Category:African-American physicists