Who was Jackson Davis?
Jackson Davis Elementary School, located in Henrico County’s Three Chopt magisterial district, was named for Dr. Jackson Davis, former superintendent of Henrico County Public Schools. Henry Jackson Davis was superintendent from 1905-09. Dr. Davis’ greatest accomplishments were the efforts he made to upgrade African American education in the South and to revamp land grant colleges through his work with the General Education Board, a nonprofit educational support group. Jackson Davis Elementary School opened in the fall of 1962.
Davis worked to ensure equal access to high quality schools in Henrico County for all students, especially African American students. During his time in Henrico County he worked alongside Virginia Randolph as part of the Jeanes Foundation, formed to improve the educational opportunities of African Americans living in rural areas. Teachers associated with the foundation worked to raise funds for improved school facilities and equipment. After leaving Henrico County, Davis went on to support higher education nationwide, continuing his focus on supporting rural schools. Jackson Davis was also an integral part of the planning and early stages of the United Negro College Fund, which continues to support scholarships for students to attend historically black colleges and universities. We are proud of our namesake, and we hope you will take a few minutes to read more about Jackson Davis:
Henrico Citizen (June 9, 2020)