Benjamin J. Davis Jr.
Ben Davis | |
|---|---|
Davis in 1949 | |
| Member of the New York City Council from Manhattan At-Large | |
| In office March 1, 1943 – November 29, 1949 | |
| Preceded by | Adam Clayton Powell Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Benjamin Jefferson Davis, Jr. September 8, 1903 Dawson, Georgia, US |
| Died | August 22, 1964 (aged 60) New York, New York, US |
| Political party | Communist |
| Education | Amherst College (AB) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Occupation | Lawyer, activist, politician |
| Known for | Smith Act trials of Communist Party leaders |
Benjamin Jefferson Davis Jr. (September 8, 1903 – August 22, 1964) was an African-American lawyer and communist who was elected in 1943 to the New York City Council, representing Harlem. He faced increasing opposition from outside Harlem after the end of World War II. In 1949 he was among a number of communist leaders prosecuted for violating the Smith Act. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.