Ramsey County History – Winter 2022: Forgotten to Time? The Search for Scottie Primus Davis

Forgotten to Time? The Search for Scottie Primus Davis
Author: Steve Trimble

It is said that a supportive family, caring friends, and strong mentors can influence the person we become. Such was the case with young Scottie Primus Davis, who spent her formative years in St. Paul, Minnesota. She grew up in the Rondo neighborhood under the tutelage of devoted and involved parents and many well-respected “movers and shakers” of the day, including J. Q. Adams, the Farr sisters, Nellie Francis, the Lyles, and others. So it wasn’t a surprise when the determined Davis was the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Minnesota in 1904. It may not have been a surprise that she became a no-nonsense English teacher at high schools in Kentucky, and, later, Kansas. And it wasn’t much of a surprise that she continued her pursuit of lifelong learning, picking up credits at several universities and—oh, yes—a master’s degree from Harvard. What is surprising is the story of this remarkable woman has never before been told. But thanks to author Steve Trimble, who followed a few scant leads, readers now have the honor of learning about the incomparable, the unforgettable (Miss) Scottie Primus Davis.
PDF of S. Trimble article

Additional Reading:
Hookworm Attitude in English by Scottie P. Davis
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated by Steve Trimble