Economic Research: Car Dealership

Car Dealership

Born on February 27, 1911, in Shreveport, LA; died on May 3, 1999, in Detroit, MI; son of Thomas H. (a food jobber) and Hester (Bryant) Davis; married Mary Agnes Miller, late 1930s.

Education: attended Wayne State University. Worked as a mechanic in a garage and as operator of a car wash business, both in Detroit, early 1930s; worked in the foundry and then the machine shop in a Dodge Motor Company factory; salesperson at Merton L. Lampkins Chrysler-Plymouth, Highland Park, MI, 1936-38; opened Davis Motor Sales in Detroit, 1938; became a Studebaker new-car dealer, 1940-56; Victory Loan and Investment, co-founder, 1940, and president; opened Davis Chrysler-Plymouth in Detroit, 1963; City of Detroit Department of Street Railway Systems (DSR), manager, 1971-74; business consultant, 1974-94. Ed Davis was the first African American to win a franchise to sell new cars. Davis had been a successful used-car seller in Detroit in the 1930s before he signed on with the Studebaker Automobile Company to sell their cars. In the early 1960s, he achieved another historic first by becoming the country's first African American to own and operate a new-car franchise from one of the "Big Three" automakers. Davis faced tremendous obstacles as an African American businessperson in an era before workplace integration, fairness in commercial lending practices, and minority dealer-development programs. Still, he prospered through perseverance and a scrupulous attitude toward his customers, and indeed became one of Detroit's leading citizens. Just a few months before his death, Davis was honored with a special dinner held in conjunction with the North American International Auto Show, and was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame--again, becoming the first African American to achieve this honor.