Frank Marshall Davis

Frank Marshall Davis
Born(1905-12-31)December 31, 1905
Arkansas City, Kansas, U.S.
DiedJuly 26, 1987(1987-07-26) (aged 81)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Pen nameFrank Boganey[1]
OccupationJournalist, poet
GenreSocial realism
SubjectRace relations, music, literature, American culture
Literary movementSocial realism

Frank Marshall Davis (December 31, 1905 – July 26, 1987) was an American journalist, poet, political and labor movement activist, and businessman.

Davis began his career writing for African American newspapers in Chicago. He moved to Atlanta, where he became the editor of the paper he turned into the Atlanta Daily World. He later returned to Chicago. During this time, he was outspoken about political and social issues, while also covering topics that ranged from sports to music. His poetry was sponsored by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs. He also played a role in the South Side Writers Group in Chicago, and is considered among the writers of the Black Chicago Renaissance.[1]

In the late 1940s, Davis moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he ran a small business. He became involved in local labor issues. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tracked his activities as they had investigated union activists since the early 20th century.

  1. ^ a b Tracy, Steven C. (November 14, 2011). Writers of the Black Chicago Renaissance. University of Illinois Press. pp. 162–. ISBN 978-0-252-09342-5. Retrieved March 9, 2013.