Davidson, F. Chandler

Chandler Davidson was born in 1936 in the Davis Mountains, Fort Davis, Texas. In 1954, he enrolled at the University of Texas Austin but dropped out in 1955 to join the Navy. In 1959, he re-enrolled at UT and became a columnist for the Daily Texan. His column, "Beware the of Jabberwock," was a combination of social commentary and satire. He wrote several columns attacking segregation and the mistreatment of blacks at UT.

In the fall of 1960 he was approached by the late Houston Wade who suggested that Davidson become the leader of a group Wade had conceived called Students for Direct Action (SDA). The goal of this group was to protest segregation of the movie theaters on the Drag (The Texas and Varsity theaters). Wade thought Davidson's name recognition as a columnist would help to get attention for the group and its ideas. Although Davidson first refused, he later agreed to become the leader of the group. SDA held its first demonstration in early December of 1960. The demonstrations continued through the summer of 1961 until the theaters agreed to desegregate.

Davidson's involvement in SDA had a profound impact on him. In his current position as a professor of sociology at Rice University, much of his scholarly work has focused on racial politics, specifically, on voting rights for minorities, primarily African Americans and Latinos. Additionally, he has participated as an expert witness in over forty voting rights cases during his academic career.

Source: F. Chandler Davidson