William Henry Davis

William Henry Davis (18 February 1872 – 7 January 1951) was an educator, pharmacist, and a United States government official. In the Woodrow Wilson administration he was appointed as a special assistant to the Secretary of War, the highest position of any African American in the national government. Early life and education Davis was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on February 18, 1872, to former slaves Jerry and Susan Davis. He graduated from Louisville Colored High School in June 1888 at the age of 16, second in his class of eighteen students. Davis delivered the graduation address he titled, "The Dignity of Labor". Davis taught himself shorthand and typing, and became a legal clerk at the law firm of Cary & Spindle. Later he served as secretary to Mayor Todd of Louisville. He also owned a thriving shoe store, which sold manufactured goods as well as making custom shoes and boots. He also taught typing and shorthand to black students, who were excluded from white segregated classes. Before the turn of the century, David moved to Washington, DC, for its opportunities. He studied at Howard University, earning a Doctorate of Pharmacology in 1902.