Planned Sculptures
George and Marie Davis
Educators who changed what was possible
George E. Davis and Marie Gaston Davis believed in the power of education. Their work reached far beyond their own classrooms. George became a leader in higher education and statewide educational reform. Marie spent more than three decades shaping Charlotte's African American public schools. Together, they helped create opportunities for generations of students and educators.
George Edward Davis was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, on March 24, 1862, and attended Gregory Normal Institute in Wilmington before graduating from Biddle University in Charlotte in 1883. Two years later, he returned to Biddle as its first African American professor, teaching science and sociology. He later became Dean of the Faculty, a position he held until 1921. He left Biddle to join the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Marie Gaston Davis was born in Savannah, Georgia, on April 12, 1869. She began building her own legacy as an educator in Charlotte, teaching in the city's African American schools in 1908. In 1913, she became principal of Fairview Graded School, a position she held for 32 years.
The couple married in 1891 and had seven children whom they raised in a Victorian-era home still standing near Johnson C. Smith University.*
George Davis' work with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction placed him at the center of one of the most important educational movements. Created through a partnership between philanthropist Julius Rosenwald and Black communities across the South, the program provided financial assistance for new school buildings. North Carolina built 813 Rosenwald Schools in 93 of its 100 counties, more than any other state.
Marie Davis continued her work in Charlotte until she died in 1945. George died in 1959 at the age of 96. They were buried together in West Pinewood Cemetery in Charlotte. Their legacy lives on in Charlotte today. The Trail of History is proud to honor George and Marie Davis with a new sculpture in Elizabeth Park, recognizing their lasting contributions to education and to our community. Their sculpture will be unveiled in late October of 2026.
*The former home of George & Marie Davis is a designated historic landmark and is located at 301 Campus Street, Charlotte, NC 28216. In 2002, a North Carolina Highway Marker honoring George Davis was installed at the intersection of Beatties Ford Road at Dixon Street in Charlotte.