Skip to Main Content
Doing More Today
  • News
  • Community
    • Community Engagement
    • Small Business
    • Economic Development
    • What a Difference a Day Makes
    • Share the Good
  • Insights & Innovation
    • Economic Commentary
    • Insights
    • Innovation
  • Financial Wellness
    • Financial Wellness
    • Fraud Prevention
  • See the Good
    • Culture
    • Good Company
    • Good Towns
    • Good Pets
    • Ecards
    • Recipes
    • Riding Forward
Subscribe Now Visit @RegionsNews on Twitter
Regions Bank

Regions Bank: Doing More Today: Good stories. Better insights. More possibilities.

Share
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Share via Email
Subscribe
J Mason Davis
Category: Culture

History in Motion: J. Mason Davis Jr.

Regions honors the Birmingham, Alabama, civil rights attorney and civic leader for a lifetime of achievement.

By Candace Higginbotham | March 3, 2022

J. Mason Davis Jr. didn’t have to ask to join civic groups around Birmingham, Alabama. That’s because they usually asked him first.

“And when I would go into that group, I would do my very best to be the most outstanding person in that group,” he said.

Davis’ dedication to his community and commitment to excellence were honored at Regions Bank’s History in Motion celebration on Feb. 28.

The event was a grand finale for Regions’ commemoration of Black History Month, and Davis, with his tremendous professional and civic accomplishments, represents the leadership qualities the History in Motion program intends to acknowledge and celebrate.

A Birmingham native, Davis attended Talladega College and the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law before returning to his hometown to begin his own law practice in 1959, initially specializing in civil rights cases.

He was involved in some of the most significant controversies in the ongoing struggle, including serving as attorney for a number of students who participated in the widely publicized Huntsville, Alabama, lunch counter sit-ins of 1961 and 1962.

With that case, and a number of others, Davis played a key role in the desegregation of Alabama.

Davis has earned many professional accolades, but he’s most proud and passionate about being a leader in support of health and human services charities and helping to create opportunities for minorities.

In 2019, the United Way of Central Alabama announced the launch of the J. Mason Davis Leadership Society to bring together African Americans who strive to positively impact the community through a shared affinity for philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy.

In his History In Motion acceptance remarks, he recalled agreeing to attach his name only if the organization in turn made a commitment to “go into underprivileged neighborhoods and teach children to read and write at age 3. If we wait until kindergarten or first grade, they’re already behind the other students.”

That emphasis on education has been passed down in his family for generations, and Davis credits education for his life’s successes.

See more of his compelling life story in this video from Regions.

Share
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Share via Email
Subscribe

Trending Articles

  • 1.

    In Good Company

  • 2.

    Where Community is Always First!

  • 3.

    5 Tips to Send P2P Payments Safely

  • 4.

    Regions Bank Continues Celebration of Black History Through the Riding Forward Scholarship Contest

  • 5.

    A Brush with Tragedy, an Inspiration for Hope

Related Articles

Category: Fraud Prevention

Beware Look-Alike Domain Scams

Illustration of a laptop with a mock up website on...
Category: News

Local Support. Global Impact. Regions Bank Launches International Subsidiaries Banking Group

Laerte Barros, Marcus Kim and Christian Louis
Category: Community Engagement

Where Community is Always First!

Photos of Jeff, Myke, and Norman and a photo of...
photos of store interior with clothes and accessories
Category: Community Engagement

Attiring and Inspiring

photo of Regions Branch with a green overlay and a...
Category: News

“We’re with you.” Regions Bank and the Regions Foundation Announce Storm Response

Open Banking
Category: News

Open to New Possibilities

photos of, Live Oak, Bastion check presentation, and apartment homes,
Category: Community Engagement

Branches of Service

Regions.com | About Regions | Investor Relations | Privacy & Security | Website Terms of Use | Contact Regions
© 2023 Regions Bank Member FDIC |
All Rights Reserved | Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender | Online Privacy