James C. Davis

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = James Curran Davis

| image = James C Davis.jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date|1895|05|17}}

| birth_place = Franklin, Georgia, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|12|18|1895|05|17}}

| death_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

| resting_place = Oak Hill Cemetery
Newnan, Georgia, U.S.

| office1 = Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 5th district

| term_start1 = January 3, 1947

| term_end1 = January 3, 1963

| preceded1 = Helen Douglas Mankin

| succeeded1 = Charles L. Weltner

| party = Democratic

| alma_mater = Reinhardt College
Emory College

| spouse = {{marriage|Mary Lou Martin|1932|1969|reason=died}}

| children = 1

| branch = United States Marine Corps

| serviceyears = 1917–1919

| rank = Sergeant

| battles = World War I

}}

James Curran Davis (May 17, 1895 – December 18, 1981) was an American lawyer, World War I veteran, and politician from the state of Georgia who served eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1963. Davis unsuccessfully sought the presidential nomination at the 1956 Democratic National Convention.

Early life

Davis was born on May 17, 1895, in Franklin, Georgia to Viola (née Mooty) and Thomas Benjamin Davis.{{Cite web |url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/D000109 |title=DAVIS, James Curran (1895–1981) |website=bioguide.congress.gov |access-date=2021-08-17}}{{cite book|publisher=Georgia Department of Archives and History|title=Georgia's Official Register|date=1925|url={{Google books|i-IOAAAAIAAJ|page=49|plainurl=yes}}|page=49|via=Google Books}} He attended Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia and Emory College in Oxford, Georgia.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83601416/former-rep-james-c-davis-dies-29-dec/ |title=Former Rep. James C. Davis Dies |date=1981-12-29 |page=10 |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |last=Rigsby |first=G.G. |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2021-08-17}} {{Open access}} He was admitted to the bar in 1919 and started a practice in Atlanta.

World War I and military

During World War I, Davis served in the United States Marine Corps as a private and sergeant from December 24, 1917, to January 11, 1919. He then served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps as a first lieutenant and captain.

Career

He resumed practicing law after his military service. He served as a state representative of DeKalb County from 1924 to 1928. He then served as an attorney for the Georgia Department of Industrial Relations from 1928 to 1931 and DeKalb County from 1931 to 1934.

He served as a judge of superior court in the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit from 1934 to 1937.

Congress

He was elected to represent Georgia's 5th congressional district in the House of Representatives as a Democrat. Davis served in Congress from January 3, 1947, to January 3, 1963.

Davis was a delegate to the 1948 Democratic National Convention.

At the 1956 Democratic National Convention in August, he received 33 votes for President.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83602397/ |title=Georgia Stands By Davis to End, Denying Stevenson Its 32 Ballots |date=1956-08-17 |page=1 |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2021-08-17}} {{Open access}} His nomination speech was given at the convention by Governor Marvin Griffin.{{Cite book |url=http://www.chicagofilmarchives.org/collections/index.php/Detail/Object/Show/object_id/12876 |title=1956 Democratic Convention Nominating Speeches for James C. Davis and W. Averell Harriman |website=chicagofilmarchives.org |access-date=2021-08-17}}

= Opposition to Civil Rights =

Davis was a signatory to the 1956 Southern Manifesto, a document expressing the opposition of Southern congressional representatives to integration.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83602471/says-he-didnt-ask-for-job-of-investigat/ |title=Says He Didn't Ask for Job Of Investigating Integration |date=1956-09-29 |newspaper=Elmira Advertiser |last=Lebreton |first=Edmond |page=4 |access-date=2021-08-17}} {{Open access}} He voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.{{Cite web |title=HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. -- House Vote #42 -- Jun 18, 1957 |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/h42 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=GovTrack.us |language=en}}

Later career

Davis was defeated in his bid for re-election to Congress in 1962 by Charles L. Weltner.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1962/09/28/archives/district-of-columbia-mayor-defeated-in-georgia-davis-is-beaten-by.html |title=District of Columbia 'Mayor' Defeated in Georgia; Davis Is Beaten by Weltner in a Runoff for House Supreme Court Redistricting Decision a Big Factor |date=1962-09-28 |last=Phillips |first=Cabell |page=24 |newspaper=New York Times |access-date=2021-08-17}} He then resumed practicing law. He was the publisher for the Atlanta Times, a conservative newspaper led by Roscoe Pickett, from June 1964 to its closing in September 1965.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83602049/atlanta-times-quits-publication-1-sep-1/ |title=Atlanta Times Quits Publication |date=1965-09-01 |page=8 |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2021-08-17}} {{Open access}} He also served on the board of directors for the Salem Campground and De Kalb Federal Savings and Loan Association.

Personal life

Davis married Mary Lou Martin on December 26, 1932, in LaGrange, Georgia.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83601621/miss-mary-lou-martin-weds-james-curran-d/ |title=Miss Mary Lou Martin Weds James Curran Davis |date=1933-01-01 |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2021-08-17}} {{Open access}} She died in 1969.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83601797/mrs-j-c-davis-dies-wife-of-former-ju/ |title=Mrs. J. C. Davis Dies |date=1969-11-24 |newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution |page=10-B |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2021-08-17}} {{Open access}} Together, they had one daughter, Mary Martin Davis.{{Cite web |url=https://dekalbhistory.org/documents/JamesCDavis.pdf |title=James C. Davis Papers |website=dekalbhistory.org |access-date=2021-08-17}}

He was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.