Oral history interview with Allison S. Davis, 2020
Abstract
Allison S. Davis shares memories of his relationship with Barack Obama and reflects on the significance of Chicago to Obama's political career. Davis, a founding partner of the Chicago civil rights law firm then-known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, hired Obama to his first full-time job after his graduation from Harvard Law School and remembers Obamas charisma and interests during the mid-199 0s. Davis outlines the character of the neighborhoods and communities in which Obama was living and working during this period, describes conversations with Obama about race and racial identity, and provides details about the political, economic, and cultural networks with which Obama was developing closer ties, and which would later provide important sources of campaign financing and political support. Davis also discusses introducing Barack and Michelle Obama to Black leaders in Chicago, Obama's knack for fundraising, and Obama's electoral success among white voters in downstate Illinois
Black people--Race identity--United States; Campaign funds; Presidents--United States; Chicago (Ill.); Davis, Allison, 1939-; Obama, Barack; Obama, Michelle, 1964-; Harvard Law School
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2020
Physical Description
47 pages
Note (Biographical)
Allison S. Davis is a lawyer and businessman from Chicago, Illinois. Davis was a founding partner of the Chicago civil rights law firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, and hired Barack Obama to his first full-time job after his grad uation from Harvard Law School. In 1986, Davis was appointed to the Chicago Public Building Commission, and later to the Chicago Plan Commission. In 1996, he gave up his full-time law practice and founded a development and financial planning firm. Davis later served on the Illinois State Board of Investment in 2003
Note
Interviewed by Jacqueline N. Stewart on November 5, 2020. This interview is part of the University of Chicago: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
Allison S. Davis, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2022