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EMPRESS INK: "Our Women & What They Think"
HONORING LADY HENRIETTA VINTON DAVIS 
On November 22nd 2005, the Marcus and Amy Jacques Garvey Work-Study Group, in conjunction with the Henrietta Vinton Davis Foundation, honored the Life and Legacy of Henrietta Vinton Davis: An Actorvist(Actor-Activist) and The Matriarch of Universal Afrikan Nationalism. As many prepared to celebrate Thanksgiving, an unholy Holiday marking the conquest of Euro-peon religious zealots who murdered the native hands that fed them, these members of the UNIA gave thanks to a 'Sheroe' who livicated (dedicated) her entire adult life to the universal improvement of her race. Indeed, as the Holy Piby aptly states, we should honor "the noble woman Henrietta 5 in whom the whole heaven adore because of her greatness of faith and the loyal way in which she fights to save Ethiopia and her generations from everlasting downfall."
Henrietta Vinton Davis was born in 1860, Baltimore, Md, to Musician Mansfield Davis and Dressmaker Mary Ann Johnson. By the time she reached 15 years of age, she was a certified teacher, educating children from Maryland to Louisiana. In 1878, she became the first Black woman employed at the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in Washington D. C., where she later worked as an assistant to her former neighbor and friend Frederick Douglass. Davis' dramatic career began in 1883 and over the next decade she toured the country widely as an elocutionist, attracting large audiences with her work by Dunbar, Shakespeare, and others. She started her own theatre company in Chicago in 1893, performing plays such as "Dessalines," "Henri Christophe," and "Our Old Kentucky Home," a play she wrote in collaboration with John Edward Bruce. She soon began to travel the world, performing with a number of other well known dramatists and musical artists (i.e. Noni Bailey Hardy). After a prolonged stay in Jamaica, where she established The Covent Garden Theatre Company and a benevolent society called The Loyal Knights and Ladies of Malachite, she developed the idea of establishing an industrial school for girls in Jamaica. Upon her arrival back in the U.S. to raise funds for the school, she connected with the Honorable Marcus Garvey and began a life long service of fulfilling the Aims and Objects of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, of which she later became its First International Organizer, 4th Asst. President-General and Secretary General. She was made Delegate to Liberia, conferred the title Lady Commander of the Sublime Order of the Nile and became one of the historic signers of the "Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World," a 54-count declaration that brought to the world, among other things, the Red, Black and Green Flag. Additionally, she was Vice President of the Black Star Line and Director of the Black Cross Navigation and Trading Company. The Honorable Marcus Garvey proclaimed her to be "the greatest woman of the Negro race." John Edward Bruce, a PanAfrikan Journalist who openly criticized "mulattos who celebrated their whiteness, " refused to work with any 'light-complexioned people who didn't emulate Henrietta Vinton Davis...a woman who accepted her proper racial identification, proclaimed the beauty of blackness and completely aligned herself with her darker family for the purpose of accomplishing one common aim and destiny.'Sadly, not many people recognize her today. While the Honorable Marcus Garvey, recognized as the First National Hero of Jamaica, lies in Heroes Park, Jamaica and Rosa Parks, hailed as the Mother of the Modern Civil Rights Movement, was granted the 'honor' of lying in state at the Capitol Rotunda, Henrietta Vinton Davis is currently lying in an unmarked grave in National Harmony Memorial Park, Landover, MD. The Henrietta Vinton Davis Foundation is currently taking the initiative in securing a fitting memorial to honor the life and legacy of a woman who has yet to receive the recognition she richly deserves. Marcus Garvey's "African Fundamentalism" states "the time has come for the African to forget and cast behind him his hero worship and adoration of other races, and to start out immediately, to create and emulate heroes of his own." During this session we will honor this call by acknowledging an ancestor whose energy we sorely need and whose life's lessons we can greatly benefit from through study. The memorial tribute to the Queen Mother of PanAfrikan Nationalism and Her Legacy of Actorvism was a wonderful success. Brother Clayton LeBeuf, Actorvist/Playwright was on hand to discuss his play, "Shero: The Livication of Henrietta Vinton Davis" and some of his future projects in film and theatre. All in all it was a powerful session for the whole family. THOUGHTS OF PROMINENT MEN REGARDING MISS HENRIETTA VINTON DAVIS FREDERICK DOUGLASS, WASHINGTON D. C., November 18, 1888 Gentlemen: I have many times been called upon to bear testimony to the remarkable talents of Miss Henrietta Vinton Davis and I always do so with pleasure. In my judgment she is one of the beat dramatic readers in the country and the best colored reader that ever came before the American people. Her personal appearance is strongly in her favor. She instantly commands attention and sympathy and when her deep, fine voice is heard. Her audience at once give themselves up to the pleasure of hearing her. I am quite sure you will make no mistake in having her read for you. BISHOP HENRY MCNEIL TURNER D. D., A. M. E. CHURCH, ATLANTA, GA., January 21, 1891 This is to certify that Miss Henrietta Vinton Davis has been known to me since childhood. She is in all respects a lady of the first grade, spotless in character, polished in manners, educated and finished in her profession. As a dramatic reader she has no superiors and should be encouraged by all who favor the elevation of our race. I commend her services to all ministers of the Gospel and to the public in general I. F. ALDRIDGE, ANNAPOLIS, MD., January 21, 1891. Miss Henrietta Vinton Davis, the celebrated tragedienne and dramatic reader, entertained the people of the AME Church January 19 and 20, 1891. The audience was large the first night, and the house was crowded the second night. Her magnetic style, forcible, dramatic and eloquent voice charmed everyone present. She magnetized and electrified the audience with delight, who loudly applauded each recital. Miss Davis is a first-class entertainer, a lady of character, ability and great talent; an artist who presents living pictures. She is a great help to the ministers in raising money for churches. Her terms are easy, her work laborious. May God Bless her. CLAUDE MCKAY, HARLEM: NEGRO METROPOLIS (NY: Dutton, 1940)pp.152-153 Miss Henrietta Vinton Davis is one of the finest elocutionists of the Negro group and a very sensitive interpreter of Shakespearean roles at home and abroad. EMPRESS INK Vol.1  
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