Eddie Davis

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on September 24, 2007 - 1:35pm.
Tags:

Office District Status
School Superintndnt Statewide Candidate
Party In Office Since Term Ends
Democrat
Level of Government  
 
Date of Birth Birthplace Now Lives In
May 8, 1949 Elizabeth City, NC Durham, NC

Synopsis

A longtime English teacher in Durham, Eddie Davis served an eight-year term on the State Board of Education. On that board, he focused on school accountability, closing the minority achievement gap and student discipline. He retired in 2001 to become vice president of the N.C. Association of Educators. In 2003, he became president. In 2008, he mounted an unsuccessful challenge to incumbent schools superintendent June Atkinson in the Democratic primary.

Trivia

He is a big fan of North Carolina jazz musicians Nina Simone, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. 

Endorsements

Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, N.C. Association of Educators, Durham People’s Alliance, Eastern North Carolina Civic Association

Biography

Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Harriette
Children
Son, Christopher; and daughter, Jessica

Eddie Davis is the president of the N.C. Association of Educators and a former candidate in the Democratic primary for state Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Early Life and Education 

He was born on May 8, 1949, to Eddie Davis Jr. and Nora Davis in Elizabeth City. His father was a janitor and truck driver; his mother, a homemaker.

He graduated from P.W. Moore High School in Elizabeth City in 1967.

Professional Career

After graduation, he worked one year as a teacher at Andrew Jackson Elementary School in Halifax.

He then worked eight years as an English teacher at Weldon High School in Halifax County.

Starting in 1980, he taught English for 21 years at Hillside High School in Durham.  

From 1987 to 1989, he led a group of high school students who argued that North Carolina's General Assembly should retroactively ratify the 24th Amendment outlawing the poll tax. 

In 1993, he was appointed by Gov. Jim Hunt to an eight-year term on the State Board of Education. On that board, he focused on school accountability, closing the minority achievement gap and student discipline.

He retired in 2001 to become vice president of the N.C. Association of Educators, which represents 70,000 teachers and educators statewide.  

In 2004, he became president of the organization.

Political Career

On Sept. 24, 2007, he announced he would seek the Democratic nomination for state superintendent of public instruction against incumbent June Atkinson. Both candidates planned to use the state's new public campaign finance law.

He said he would focus on closing the minority achievement gap. 

He has been endorsed by the N.C. Association of Educators.

He lost the race against Atkinson, winning 47 percent of the vote. 

Occupation

President
N.C. Association of Educators





Community Involvement:
Organizer of committee to get state historical marker for 50th anniversary of Royal Ice Cream civil rights sit-ins in Durham; member of Durham Committee for the Affairs of Black People; member of the Durham People’s Alliance.

Contact Info

Email: supereddiedavis@aol.com

Campaign Headquarters
P.O. Box 741, Durham, NC 27702-0741
919-810-5012



Education

bachelor of arts in English
Elizabeth City State University
Graduated: 1971



Military

Not specified.

Links




http://www.supereddiedavis.com/





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