Dr. Walter Strother Davis is considered “The Father of Athletics at Tennessee State University.” Looking at his career, the title becomes obvious. From 1943 to 1968 Dr. Davis laid the foundation for a great university. What was then Tennessee A&I State College became accredited and designated a land-grant university, and following his retirement in 1968, Davis’ dream was realized as Tennessee State University. A native Mississippian, Davis embraced Tennessee as his adopted state. He earned his B.S. from Tennessee A&I in 1931, captaining the football team, and obtained his M.S. at Cornell. Davis was head football coach from 1933 to 1936, and his teams achieved national prominence with a 6-2 upset over national power Wilberforce in 1934. He coached many All-Americans at Tennessee A&I, including Forest Strange. Davis returned to Cornell and received his Ph.D. in philosophy in 1941 before becoming president of Tennessee A&I in 1943. During the next two decades under Davis’ leadership, the university expanded to include schools of arts and sciences, education and engineering, agriculture and economics and a graduate school. An honored member of the Tennessee State University Sports Hall of Fame, Dr. Walter Davis set a strong foundation in the mid-1900s. Without this foundation, built with devotion and hard work, TSU athletics would not have blossomed as they have. For this, TSU and the state of Tennessee will forever be grateful.
