Remarks by the Hon. L. Clifford Davis

May 12, 2017

The following text is from remarks made by the Hon. L. Clifford Davis on May 12, 2017. The comments were made during a dinner with University of Arkansas Chancellor Joe Steinmetz, Dean Stacy Leeds and her fellow deans and those speaking or being honored at the various college and school commencement ceremonies. Davis received an honorary Doctor of Law degree at the All University Commencement ceremony held May 13 in Bud Walton Arena.

Davis, a retired Tarrant County, Texas, judge and recognized advocate for civil rights and civil responsibility, was denied admission to the segregated University of Arkansas School of Law in 1946. He enrolled in Howard University School of Law but continued to apply for transfer to the U of A. The law school was integrated in 1948 due, in large part, to his persistence and threat of lawsuits. He graduated from Howard in 1949, but his tenaciousness paved the way for the admission of Silas Hunt and other African American student pioneers.

Remarks by L. Clifford Davis

May 12, 2017
University of Arkansas Commencement Dinner
Fowler House Garden and Conservatory

GREETINGS,

I am very pleased to share the events of this weekend. I must admit that I do not have sufficient command of words in the Dictionary to really express my JOY TO RECEIVE THE HONOR I am to receive. I will just say THANKS.

In my days at Dunbar High School in Little Rock I took a class in government and was a member of the government club. Among the topics we discussed, were the introduction to the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. The study of these two documents developed in me some PRINCIPLES I have tried to follow.

The Declaration introduced the concepts

1. ALL MEN are created EQUAL

2. They are endowed by their CREATOR with right to LIFE LIBERTY and PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

You will observe it says MEN are created equal

When we digest the Preamble to the United States Constitution it declares

We the PEOPLE in order to form A MORE PERFECT UNION it then declares a motive to ESTABLISH JUSTICE, INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, LIBERTY AND PROMOTE GENERAL WELFACE.

When you analyze these two documents it becomes clear they ENVISION an EVOLUTIONARY SOCIETY with ability to change to promote the GENERAL WELFARE OF ALL PEOPLE.

One great change was abolition of slavery. Another great change was recognizing the right of women to vote. Both of these changes moved us toward a MORE PERFECT UNION. We are to this day progressively recognizing EQUAL RIGHTS OF PEOPLE without regard to RACE GENDER RELIGION AGE ECONOMIC LEVEL OR OTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS.

We are making progress in these concepts BUT we must continue the journey for a MORE PERFECT UNION throughout this nation.

I want to comment on the events leading to the AWARD promised to me. I previously mentioned I developed my belief system on equality IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR EQUALITY PRINCIPLES at all times since. I pursued my education and a career in LAW TO WORK FOR THE general welfare IN THE COMMUNITY.

I applied to attend the University of Arkansas in 1946 BUT was denied entry because of custom and practice at the period BUT Dean Leflar continued contact with me and suggested he would try to arrange for my admission. Finally in January 1948 a press conference was called at the University and it was announced that I had applied and would be admitted if I came. Attorney W. Harold Flowers of Pine Bluff accompanied Silas Hunt to the campus and he was ADMITTED. ARKANSAS became the first southern state to enroll a “colored” student. It opened WITHOUT LITIGATION. Other southern states resisted integration for over a decade.

This adjustment was PROGRESS TOWARD A MORE PERFECT UNION.

Some of the first graduates from the law school made great contributions to the GENERAL WELFARE OF citizens of the State. Wiley Branton handled the Little Rock School Case which helped to relieve some of the segregation practices in the State. George Howard became a Federal Judge and served the Judicial System of the State. George Haley served the nation as an AMBASSADOR to a foreign nation. I could mention other achievers but you are here and can evaluate the contribution this adjustment has made for the general welfare. It proves when we make positive adjustments the whole society benefits.

THIS YEAR, 71 YEARS AFTER I APPLIED TO EARN A DEGREE, I AM BEING AWARDED A DEGREE. For this HONOR, I am GRATEFUL. I continue my commitment to ADVOCATE FOR WHAT I BELIEVE IS A CIVIL RESPONSIBILITY for EVERY INDIVIDUAL to ADVOCATE FOR LIBERTY, JUSTICE, FREEDOM and EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY HUMAN BEING WITHOUT REGARD FOR RACE RELIGION GENDER AGE ECONOMIC STATUS OR ANY OTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS.

L. Clifford Davis