Davis, Ethel McGhee (1899-1990)

Ethel Davis McGhee was an American social worker and educator. She was the first African American social worker in Englewood, New Jersey when she became the Director of Social Work at the Social Service Federation for Englewood's African American community in 1925. She worked for the Social Service Federation's Memorial House, which was eventually named the Englewood Community House.

In the 1930s, Davis worked at Spelman College, where she acted as Dean of Women and taught sociology. She was the school's first African American administrator.

Davis was heavily involved in numerous organizations such as the Young Woman's Christian Association (YWCA), the National Council of Jewish Women, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Urban League, the League of Women Voters, and the National Council of Negro Women.

She traveled back to Englewood in 1954 and remained active in the community. She was involved in numerous organizations in Englewood including the Social Service Federation, the Urban League, the Leonard Johnson Nursery School, the Community Chest, the First Baptist Church of Englewood, and the Adult Advisory Committee.

She married John Warren Davis, President of West Virginia State College on September 2, 1932. She had two daughters, Caroline Florence Davis Gleiter and Dorothy Davis McDaniel.

“Ethel McGhee Davis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Sept. 2023.

1899-11-30

Greenville, Georgia, USA

1990-07-13

“Ethel McGhee Davis.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Sept. 2023.