Normandy students commemorate renowned educator
By Olivia Ayes
For the St. Louis American
On Monday morning, almost precisely twelve years to the day after her death, Julia Davis – the African-American educator from St. Louis who during her lifetime was memorialized with a branch of the St. Louis Public Library in her name – for the first time received a stone marking her grave.
“Our librarian, Connie Nisinger, has a hobby of researching famous grave sites,” said Anjanette Clark, a teacher of African-American literature and sponsor for the National Honor Society at Normandy High School.
“And, on one field trip, the students noted the lack of a grave marker for Dr. Davis.”
In January 2005, this group of African-American literature students, along with the National Honor Society and with Clark’s encouragement, began raising money. After four months, they had raised $600, enough to buy a grave marker, delicately etched with a cross and a book, which symbolizes Davis’ dual dedication to faith and education.
The dedication ceremony was held at St. Peter’s Cemetery on Monday morning. It included a flag procession, accompanied by the Normandy High School Band, as well as a violin duet by Normandy freshman Teddy Wiggins and Deborah Antoine, the school’s orchestra instructor.
Remarks were made by colleagues, friends, and Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay.
“She used to say that every child should know from whence they came to be able to develop themselves a future,” said Charles Gooden. A friend of Davis’.
One of Davis’ former students, Gwen Scales-Reed, explained that Davis was concerned with every aspect of her students’ lives.
“We would come in Monday morning, and she would ask, ‘What did you do this weekend? Who were you with? Who were your friends? Did you have breakfast this morning?'” Scales-Reed remembered.
John Davis, who was Davis’ great-nephew, expressed gratitude for the recognition by Normandy students.
U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay declared April 25, 2005 to be “Julia Davis Day” in the First Congressional District of Missouri. He also donated $200 and two books written by his father, the former Congressman William Clay Sr., to the Julia Davis Collection at Normandy High School’s library, which was started by the same students.
The ceremony ended with a traditional New Orleans-style funeral recession that featured up-beat tempos played by the Normandy band to celebrate the life of this beloved educator.
A graduate of Sumner High School and Stowe Teachers College, Davis retired from teaching in 1961 after 48 years in the St. Louis Public Schools system. On the day she retired, she established the Julia Davis Fund at the St. Louis Public Library, designated for the purchase of African-American literature.
On April 21, 1974, she was memorialized by the city’s public library system by having a branch library named after her – the first living person to receive this honor. The Julia Davis Branch, at 4415 Natural Bridge Ave., is now home to the Julia Davis Research Collection, which contains 2,720 volumes.
But, at the time of her death in 1993, Davis was buried in an unmarked grave. She had no immediate family to commemorate her death at the age of 101 because she had outlived her only child, John Buckner, who died in 1977.
