J. Mason Davis Jr., civil rights leader and the first Black adjunct professor at The University of Alabama School of Law, has passed away at the age of 90.
Mr. Davis graduated from Talladega College in 1956 and wanted to attend law school at UA. However, at that time, the State of Alabama provided “out-of-state aid” for Black residents to attend law school outside of the state in order to maintain segregation. As such, Mr. Davis earned his law degree from the University of Buffalo in New York, before returning to Birmingham once he graduated to begin his law practice there in 1959.
Early in his career, Mr. Davis found himself representing clients in some of the most pivotal civil rights cases of the time, and he played a vital role in advancing desegregation across Alabama. In 1971, Mr. Davis became a member of the Birmingham Bar Association, and later served on its executive committee and as its first Black president in 1984. That same year, Mr. Davis joined the law firm of Sirote and Permutt (now Dentons Sirote), where he eventually retired as a shareholder.
In 1972, the year that the first Black students graduated from Alabama Law, Mr. Davis joined the faculty as the first minority adjunct professor. He served in that role for over 25 years.
Mr. Davis was also a dedicated community member and served on the boards of numerous companies and civic and governmental organizations, including Leadership Birmingham, the University of Alabama at Birmingham President’s Council, and the Alabama Board of Bar Commissioners. He chaired the boards of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, United Way of Central Alabama, and the Board of Trustees of Talladega College, among others.
In recognition of his dedication to his community, Mr. Davis was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in Human and Civil Rights from the NAACP in 2013, and he was inducted into the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2019, the United Way of Central Alabama established the J. Mason Davis Leadership Society in his honor, recognizing his legacy of philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy. Despite all of these well-deserved accolades, Mr. Davis was especially proud of his support of health and human services initiatives and creating opportunities for minorities.
The University of Alabama School of Law is grateful for Mr. Davis’ thoughtful and selfless service that he dedicated to his students and broader community throughout his lifetime. In acknowledging his passing, the Alabama Law community extends its heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.