houston 'house of degrees'

In the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The purpose of education, therefore, is to educate everyone to think critically and to think intensively.” For one African American family in Houston, education plays a monumental role in their lives and in the lives of their children. Rev. Edwin A. Davis, Ed.D. and Charlotte J. Davis, Ph.D. have both had their own personal educational journeys. They both come from humble beginnings and have had to work very hard to get to where they are today.

Both doctors are native Houstonians who have instilled in all their children the importance and value of getting an education from an accredited university of higher learning. They have also been a great influence on many others who have gone back to school and pursued their college degrees.

As Dr. Edwin Davis has illustrated on various occasions, “once you get an education, it is the one thing that no one can take from you. They can take your title, position and material possessions, but they cannot take your education.”

One of their children has followed in their footsteps and is now Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.  Dr. Davis-Bibb recently successfully defended her dissertation on October 29, 2020 from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

Like her parents, she has encountered her own set of challenges on her education journey, but continued to persevere, keeping her end goal in mind and the influence of her parents as an example. She expressed, “I could not have done this without my parents’ guidance, love and support. They have been great role models and have taught me many valuable lessons that I hope to instill in my own children one day.”

Each one of the doctors hold multiple degrees. In total, they have 13 degrees collectively. Dr. Charlotte Davis holds one bachelor’s degree, two masters, and a doctoral degree from Sam Houston State University (2006). Dr. Edwin A. Davis holds one bachelor’s degree, three masters, and a doctoral degree from the University of Houston (2004). Dr. Davis-Bibb holds one bachelor’s degree, two masters, and a doctoral degree. It is amazing that this family has achieved these astounding accomplishments against the societal stereotypes and the racial disparities amongst minorities in education today.

The Davis family is not only proud of their daughter, Chelsea, for achieving her doctorate degree, but all their children have done very well. Their oldest daughter Erica recently received her masters from the University of Texas at Austin and was recently elected to the Harris County Board of Education, position 5. Their youngest daughter Courtney is currently working on her Master’s in Business Administration and is an environmental engineer. Their son, Eric, was recently promoted to the rank of Sergeant within the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

We salute this family for the great accomplishments and exemplifying excellence in achievement.

-African-American News & Issues, Inc. - By Georgia Provost  (January 23, 2021)