William Davis inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame

William L. Davis ’77 LAW has been inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame for exemplary leadership in civil rights. He was one of three people inducted in 2024.

Davis has many firsts in his life. He is the first Black to serve as the director of administrative law and civil litigation branch of the division of general legal services of the Kentucky attorney general’s office. He was the first Black to head a division within the Kentucky attorney general’s office. He was the first Black to serve as assistant deputy attorney general/director in the Kentucky attorney general’s office.

He was the first Black to serve as a United States Air Force captain/ assistant staff judge advocate of the 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas 1978-1979 which included being the first Black trial prosecutor and chief of civil law.

He was the first Black graduate of UK College of Law to receive the Reginald Huber Smith Fellowship for Lawyers sponsored by Howard University and the first to be listed in Marquis “Who’s Who in American Law.”

His law office is in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights established the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2000 to recognize and honor the men and women whose efforts helped bring about change, to raise public awareness about civil and human rights issues and to foster an environment for discussion and education regarding the hard-won struggles and lessons of the past and ongoing challenges.

Cynthia Fox, executive director of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, said this about the award winners: “Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame nominees and inductees have fought the ‘good fight.’ They pushed for and demanded civil rights legislation and equal opportunity and terms and conditions in employment.

“They marched for fairness, housing rights and to open doors to businesses and services previously closed to some groups. They stood up in support of education equity and spoke up for those who could not speak for themselves. They gave their time, money and service toward efforts that challenged and changed old, unjust philosophies and systems. This event is our opportunity to say we see you and we thank you.” ■