Ossie Davis

Davis in 2003, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Raiford Chatman Davis

Date of Birth: December 18, 1917

Place of Birth: Cogdell, Clinch County, Georgia, U.S.

Date of Death: February 4, 2005

Place of Death: Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.

Ethnicity: African-American

Ossie Davis was an American actor, director, poet, playwright, author, and civil rights activist.

Ossie was the son of Laura (Cooper) and Kince Charles Davis, a railway construction engineer. The name Ossie was said to have come from his mother’s pronunciation of the name “R. C. Davis.” He was the brother of scientist William Conan Davis, social worker Essie Davis Morgan, pharmacist Kenneth Curtis Davis, and biology teacher James Davis. He was married to actress, activist, poet, writer, and journalist Ruby Dee, until his death. The couple had three children, including blues guitarist and banjo player Guy Davis.