JULIUS JOSEPH DAVIS, SR., 89

April 10, 1930-January 28, 2020

Esteemed teacher and musician

Joseph Julius Davis, Sr., 1930-2020

Over his nearly ninety years Julius Joseph Davis Sr. found myriad ways to do the things that he loved. A man of music, he taught thousands of Cleveland Public School students at Patrick Henry Jr. High and Glenville, East Tech, and Aviation high schools over a 30-plus year career before he retired in 1990.

A man of faith and service, he also served as Minister of Music for more than 20 years at Antioch Baptist Church, where he directed the Sanctuary Choir and the Men’s Chorus. He also taught Sunday School and mentored countless numbers of students, helping many to obtain music scholarships so they could attend college.

Mr. Davis died January 28, 2020 in hospice at Menorah Park, Beachwood. He was married to the love of his life, Inez Lawrence Davis, for 64 years prior to her death in 2018. He is survived by their three children: Julius Joseph Jr. (Liz) of Ft. Myers, FL, Inajo Davis Chappell (John) of Solon, and Juli Anne Harkins (Derrick) of New York City, NY.

Julius J. Davis Sr. was born April 10, 1930 in Minden, Louisiana to the late Varie Johnson Davis and the late Joseph “Joe” Davis. He was their only child. In 1932 the family moved to Shreveport where he was enrolled in Blessed Sacrament, a Catholic elementary and middle school. His high achievements in school and music led his parents to send him to Xavier University Preparatory HS in New Orleans, where he continued to excel academically while also starring as “Big Joe Davis” as defensive tackle on the football team.

Mr. Davis continued his education at Xavier University on an athletic scholarship, graduating in in June 1951 with a B.S. in Music Education. While an undergrad, he was active member of the Xavier University Chorus and performed in several operas. Most notably, he met Inez Lawrence, a New Orleans native who was a music major at Dillard University. They courted and became engaged, but wedding plans were deferred as Julius was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War.

PFC Davis served in the Army from September 1951 to June 1953. He was awarded the Silver Star for Valor in Combat while serving in Korea as a member of Company L, 3d Battalion, 15^th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division.

Returning home, he married Inez in June 1954 and began his music teaching career at Booker T. Washington HS in New Orleans. They moved to Cleveland in 1964 with their first two children to take advantage of opportunities for black teachers in the North. They settled in East Cleveland on Farmington Road. The following year they joined Antioch and began to serve in the church’s music ministry. Their family was completed with the birth of their youngest child, Juli, in 1967.

Among Mr. Davis’ passions was a strong love of sports, over which he bonded especially with his daughters. His special teams were the Browns and the Georgetown Hoyas of Coach John Thompson. And of course he loved to see Broadway shows, opera at the Met, and all kinds of music.

In addition to his son and daughters, Mr. Davis is survived by his niece and Goddaughter Allison Lynne Jackson (Charles); daughter-in-law Linda Davis; three sisters-in-law, Shirley M. Lawrence, Geraldine Millinie McCarley (Vanuel), and Charlene Olga Lawrence; four grandchildren, Julius J. Davis III, Lauren Allison Harkins, Shannon Leigh Harkins, and Chelsea Lael Davis;  great nephew Bradford Lawrence Jackson, great niece Taylor Kennedy Jackson, ten cousins and a host of friends.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, February 8 at Antioch Baptist Church, and included military rites in honor of his valorous military service. Interment was at Lake View Cemetery.

The family suggests that donations can be made in memory of Julius Davis to the Julius and Inez Davis Music Fund at Menorah Park, 27100 Cedar Road, Beachwood, Ohio 44122 or online at www.menorahpark.org

# # ## # #

In Search of Harriet Tubman

“As a race, here in America, we are still seeking our identity. It has been a painful gradual process — seeking our true place in society, a process marked by a sudden and dramatic societal change as we gain an even greater awareness of who we are. What we are.”

— Carl B. Stokes, from the preface to his political autobiography, Promises of Power.

In Search of Harriet Tubman

One of the recurring themes in my conversations with young African Americans is the noticeable absence of professional elders willing to mentor and support their growth and development. Of course there are a substantial number of people who do encourage and support those who follow in our footsteps. But far too often, especially in corridors of power, finance, and influence, there seems to be an excess of “wait your turn”, “I got mine the hard way, you do the same”, or “I can’t help you without hurting me”.

I would argue that this is one of the key factors that keep our community from enjoying the progress we should based on the talent at hand. Much of this shortsightedness could be overcome in the African American community if our esteemed church leaders and nonprofit institutions focused on the critical need to develop the next generation by exposing them to opportunities to develop and demonstrate leadership skills.

I have run on in the past about how some of what should be our best known organizations — NAACP, the Urban League, United Black Fund, Phillis Wheatley — have seen people entrench themselves in positions of prominence unmatched by performance. And I have been glad to see in the past couple of years that many of these and other organizations have secured new leadership at the helm that seems committed to bringing younger people on board.

What happens in Cleveland’s African American community mimics to a considerable extent what takes place in the larger community. The territorial old boy nature of our county politics — I’m not focused on the scandalous corruption that was here, but rather the myopic pettiness and parochialism among the political class that retards community development — has pretty much been reprised in the black political community. The same could be said, perhaps to a lesser degree, of the corresponding business and civic communities.

Last year I heard our justly venerated former Congressman Louis Stokes share reminiscences of his storied career with groups of young people looking for life lessons from one who had "been there and done that so well for so long". Perhaps it was his intent not to discourage his listeners but I was startled to find him so kind to the establishment. He talked about how he and his brother Carl [future state rep, mayor, judge, ambassador] had been mentored by John O. Holly and other community leaders. He extrapolated that support to suggest that if you wanted to do something positive in Cleveland there were legions of people ready to lend a hand.

Perhaps that was true if you were the Congressman, and if your brother was the mayor. While I have never dwelled in those rarified corridors of power, I do understand how the Stokes boys had to battle the establishment both within and outside the black community. Back then, in Carl’s own words, he had to “run over … the black politicians in the Democratic Party” even as he had to battle the Party’s racist hierarchy. It was much the same when Martin Luther King came to town: much established black clergy wanted little to do with him. This is not even to mention our plague of gatekeepers.

So, to retrieve a familiar phrase, where do we go from here?

Policy Bridge, generally referred to as Cleveland’s black think tank, proposes that we answer that question by looking back and asking ourselves another question: Why Did Harriet (Tubman) Go Back?*

That’s the topic of a special Black History Month forum being co-presented on Tuesday, February 26 at 5 PM by PolicyBridge and the City Club of Cleveland. Randell McShepard, PolicyBridge’s chairman and co-founder, will moderate a panel that includes the organization’s executive director, Gregory Brown; the always astute and incisive Rhonda Y. Williams, Case Western Reserve University history professor and director of its Social Justice Institute; the Rev. Todd C. Davidson, recently called to pastor Antioch Baptist Church; and President Gerald Ford [that is, president of the Urban League’s Young Professionals].

What inspired Tubman repeatedly to put her life in danger repeatedly on behalf of others? What are the lessons that apply even today about her courageous and selfless acts of compassion and leadership? 

Come discuss these questions with the panel and ask your own. Bring answers if you have them!

For tickets [$15.] or information, visit www.cityclub.org or call The City Club: 216.621-0082.

---

*  Harriet Tubman led more than 13 missions to rescue 70 slaves using the network of anti-slavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. And she never lost a passenger!  [from PolicyBridge event flier].