Pastor France Davis at Calvary Baptist Church, 1090 State St, Salt Lake City, UT
This man marched at Selma. He served as Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church for 45 years. He witnessed crosses being burned on the lawn of his church. He survived a life-changing, devastating burn on 30 percent of his body. And for decades he taught at the University of Utah, the institution that donned him with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 1993.
So it is only fitting that the J. Willard Marriott Library create a digital archive in the name of Reverend France Davis, retired pastor, father, husband, community leader, civil rights leader, educator.
Upon the recommendation of Davis, librarian Allyson Mower brought a campus group together to build the archive to house digital oral histories, photographs, community records, personal documents and other materials from Utah’s Black community, both present and past.
“We are delighted to launch this new archive in Reverend Davis’ name and look forward to seeing submissions that will document the history, contributions and stories of the African American experience in Utah,” explains Mower.
Both the launch of the France Davis Utah Black Archive and the contributions of Davis’ sermons to Special Collections will be celebrated at the Marriott Library on Tuesday, October 4; this event is free and open to the public.
France Davis Utah Black Archive Naming Celebration
Willard Marriott Library October 4, 2022
11 A.M. in the Gould Auditorium, Level 1
Showcase of Black History, Art, Books, Music
12:00 P.M. to 2 P.M. in ProtoSpace, Level 2