Soror Emma Jean Davis holds a special place in the hearts of many members of Westchester Alumnae Chapter. She is one of the sixteen visionary members who chartered Westchester Alumnae Chapter on October 31, 1959. Sensing the need for Delta to make a positive impact within the community, and encouraged by Dr. Suzy Sharpe, the oldest member of New York Alumnae Chapter at the time, Soror Davis set out to start a chapter in her beloved Westchester. One of Soror Davis' fondest memories is one of the chartering ceremony which was held at t he Virginian Restaurant in Bronxville, NY. As she recalls, "It was a wonderful time and the ceremony was beautiful."
Soror Davis was initiated into Rho Chapter in 1956. "I wanted to become a Delta because all of the women who carried themselves well at Hunter College were Deltas. They were a classy group on campus," she recalls. In addition to the Delta role models on campus, Soror Davis was inspired by the assiduous leadership of
Dr. Dorothy I. Height, the 10th National President of the sorority, during the civil rights movement.
Soror Davis graduated from Hunter College with a B. A. in Education, and later received an M. S. in Education from Hunter College and an M. S. in School Supervision and Administration from Manhattan College. The first thirteen years of her career were spent in the Mount Vernon school system as a second grade teacher. Believing she could make the most impact in the area of reading, Soror Davis accepted a position as a Reading Specialist and served in that capacity for ten years. Her outstanding record of improving reading competency and proficiency in this role gained her citywide recognition, and as a result Soror Davis was promoted to the position of Assistant Principal at A. B. Davis Middle School (Mount Vernon). Soror Davis served in that capacity from 1987 until her retirement in 1998 and has been credited, among other things, with the creation of the A. B. Davis Middle School mentoring program which pairs members of the business and professional community with "at risk" youth to provide them with advice and direction.
Soror Davis is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, among them the Mount Vernon School District's Outstanding Service Employee Award and the Mayor's Award. She has held the position of President of the Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs and was Treasurer of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, the oldest African American women's organization (1896) in America. Soror Davis is a leader and active member in many community service organizations including the Women's Welfare Club of Mount Vernon, organized and serves as advisor to the Tri-County Women, Young Adults and Youth Club, High C's branch of the National Association of Negro Musicians, National Association of Black School Educators, and the Mount Vernon Hospital Auxiliary. She is a member of Macedonia Baptist Church in Mount Vernon and is the organist and choir director of Grace Baptist Church in the Bronx. Within Westchester Alumnae Chapter, Soror Davis had held the positions of Parliamentarian and Sergeant-at-Arms and is currently the honorary co-chair for the chapter's 50th Anniversary committee.
Soror Davis' legacy is perpetuated through the initiation of her granddaughter, Rachel Monique Davis, into Delta Sigma Theta (Spring 2005) at Kappa Rho Chapter on the campus of the University of Virginia. Soror Davis' says that she was "ecstatic" when her granddaughter told her that she wanted to become a Delta.
What keeps Soror Davis active in the sisterhood after nearly 52 years is that she enjoys the fellowship, kindness, and sincerity of her sorors. She says, "This is something to be admired and duplicated."
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