Ossie Davis (1917–2005) was an American actor, writer, director, and social activist known for his contributions to African American theater and film, and for his support of civil rights and humanitarian causes. Davis began his career with the Rose McClendon Players in Harlem after studying at Howard University. He debuted on Broadway in 1946 in Jeb , where he met his wife, Ruby Dee , whom he married in 1948. Davis and Dee often collaborated, notably in A Raisin in the Sun and Davis's Purlie Victorious , which he adapted for the screen. Davis also directed films, including Cotton Comes to Harlem . Later in his career, he appeared in several Spike Lee films, such as Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X , where he reenacted his eulogy for the civil rights leader. Davis and Dee were jointly awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1995 and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.

What types of work was Ossie Davis known for?

Ossie Davis was an American writer, actor, director, and social activist known for his contributions to African American theatre and film, as well as his support for civil rights and humanitarian causes. Davis acted in several Broadway plays, such as A Raisin in the Sun , and in movies and on television, notably in The Emperor Jones . Davis wrote the play Purlie Victorious , which was later adapted for the screen as Gone Are the Days! He directed and wrote the films Cotton Comes to Harlem and Countdown at Kusini .

What are some movies or plays that Ossie Davis acted in or wrote?

Ossie Davis was an American actor and playwright known for his contributions to African American theater and film, as well as his support for civil rights. Davis acted in several Broadway plays, including Jeb (1946), A Raisin in the Sun (1959), and The Zulu and the Zayda (1965–66). Davis also wrote the play Purlie Victorious (1961), which was later adapted for the screen as Gone Are the Days! (1963) and as the Broadway musical Purlie (1970). He directed and wrote the films Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) and Countdown at Kusini (1976).

How did Ossie Davis contribute to civil rights or social causes?

Ossie Davis was an American actor, writer, director, and social activist known for his support of civil rights and humanitarian causes. Davis and his wife, Ruby Dee, served as master and mistress of ceremonies for the 1963 March on Washington, for which they helped organize. Davis spoke at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s funeral in 1968 and reenacted the eulogy he gave for Malcolm X in Spike Lee's film Malcolm X . Davis combined his acting pursuits with civil rights campaigning, and he and Dee received the National Medal of Arts in 1995.

What awards or recognitions did Ossie Davis receive during his career?

Ossie Davis, celebrated for his acting, writing, and civil rights advocacy, received numerous honors throughout his career. In 1995, he and his wife, Ruby Dee, were jointly awarded the National Medal of Arts . The couple also received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.

How has Ossie Davis influenced American theater and film today?

Ossie Davis significantly shaped American theater and film through his acting, writing, directing, and activism. With his wife, Ruby Dee, Davis was a pioneer in African American theater and film. Davis's play Purlie Victorious (1961) and its adaptations challenged racial stereotypes and celebrated Black identity, influencing later works. Davis also directed films like Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), aiming to present positive images of Black characters. Davis's and Dee's partnership served as master and mistress of ceremonies for the 1963 March on Washington. Davis's work helped pave the way for greater representation and more complex narratives about the Black experience, inspiring contemporary Black playwrights and filmmakers.

Ossie Davis

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Images

Ossie Davis, seated on a stoop, and Spike Lee, standing and holding a pizza box, in a scene from the film Do the Right Thing, with brownstone steps and greenery behind them.

Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Laura Bush, and President George W. Bush stand in the presidential box with hands on their chests during the national anthem at the Kennedy Center.

Quick Facts

Byname of:: Raiford Chatman Davis

Born:: December 18, 1917, Cogdell, Georgia, U.S.

Died:: February 4, 2005, Miami Beach, Florida (aged 87)

Awards And Honors:: Grammy Award (2006); Kennedy Center Honors (2004); National Medal of Arts (1995)

Notable Works:: “Gone Are the Days”; “Purlie Victorious”

Ossie Davis

American actor and playwright

Also known as: Raiford Chatman Davis

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 25, 2026 •History

Top Questions

Who was Ossie Davis?
Ossie Davis (1917–2005) was an American actor, writer, director, and social activist known for his contributions to African American theater and film, and for his support of civil rights and humanitarian causes.

Davis began his career with the Rose McClendon Players in Harlem after studying at Howard University. He debuted on Broadway in 1946 in Jeb, where he met his wife, Ruby Dee, whom he married in 1948.

Davis and Dee often collaborated, notably in A Raisin in the Sun and Davis's Purlie Victorious, which he adapted for the screen. Davis also directed films, including Cotton Comes to Harlem. Later in his career, he appeared in several Spike Lee films, such as Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X, where he reenacted his eulogy for the civil rights leader.

Davis and Dee were jointly awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1995 and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Ossie Davis
2. Ruby Dee
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What types of work was Ossie Davis known for?
Ossie Davis was an American writer, actor, director, and social activist known for his contributions to African American theatre and film, as well as his support for civil rights and humanitarian causes.

Davis acted in several Broadway plays, such as A Raisin in the Sun, and in movies and on television, notably in The Emperor Jones. Davis wrote the play Purlie Victorious, which was later adapted for the screen as Gone Are the Days! He directed and wrote the films Cotton Comes to Harlem and Countdown at Kusini.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Ruby Dee: Facts & Related Content
2. Ossie Davis
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some movies or plays that Ossie Davis acted in or wrote?
Ossie Davis was an American actor and playwright known for his contributions to African American theater and film, as well as his support for civil rights.

Davis acted in several Broadway plays, including Jeb (1946), A Raisin in the Sun (1959), and The Zulu and the Zayda (1965–66). Davis also wrote the play Purlie Victorious (1961), which was later adapted for the screen as Gone Are the Days! (1963) and as the Broadway musical Purlie (1970). He directed and wrote the films Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) and Countdown at Kusini (1976).
1 Britannica Source
1. Ossie Davis
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did Ossie Davis contribute to civil rights or social causes?
Ossie Davis was an American actor, writer, director, and social activist known for his support of civil rights and humanitarian causes. Davis and his wife, Ruby Dee, served as master and mistress of ceremonies for the 1963 March on Washington, for which they helped organize. Davis spoke at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s funeral in 1968 and reenacted the eulogy he gave for Malcolm X in Spike Lee's film Malcolm X. Davis combined his acting pursuits with civil rights campaigning, and he and Dee received the National Medal of Arts in 1995.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Ossie Davis
2. Ruby Dee
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What awards or recognitions did Ossie Davis receive during his career?
Ossie Davis, celebrated for his acting, writing, and civil rights advocacy, received numerous honors throughout his career. In 1995, he and his wife, Ruby Dee, were jointly awarded the National Medal of Arts. The couple also received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.
1 Britannica Source
1. Ossie Davis
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How has Ossie Davis influenced American theater and film today?
Ossie Davis significantly shaped American theater and film through his acting, writing, directing, and activism. With his wife, Ruby Dee, Davis was a pioneer in African American theater and film.

Davis's play Purlie Victorious (1961) and its adaptations challenged racial stereotypes and celebrated Black identity, influencing later works. Davis also directed films like Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), aiming to present positive images of Black characters. Davis's and Dee's partnership served as master and mistress of ceremonies for the 1963 March on Washington. Davis's work helped pave the way for greater representation and more complex narratives about the Black experience, inspiring contemporary Black playwrights and filmmakers.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ossie Davis (born December 18, 1917, Cogdell, Georgia, U.S.—died February 4, 2005, Miami Beach, Florida) was an American writer, actor, director, and social activist who was known for his contributions to African American theatre and film and for his passionate support of civil rights and humanitarian causes. He was also noted for his artistic partnership with his wife, Ruby Dee, which was considered one of the theatre and film world’s most distinguished.

Davis grew up in Waycross, Georgia. After graduating from high school, he attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., but, impatient to pursue a career as a playwright, Davis left school after three years and moved to New York City. There he joined the Rose McClendon Players, a small theatre company in Harlem. He served in the army during World War II but returned to New York City after the war to continue his stage career. In 1946 he made his Broadway debut in Jeb. One of his costars was Dee, and the couple married in 1948 after touring with a production of Anna Lucasta.

Davis went on to appear in several Broadway plays, including The Wisteria Trees (1950), The Royal Family (1951), Remains to Be Seen (1951–52), No Time for Sergeants (1956), and the musical Jamaica. Davis and Dee were next on stage together in 1959, performing in A Raisin in the Sun; Davis took over the role of Walter Lee Younger from Sidney Poitier, and Dee was cast as Ruth Younger. During this period Davis also began acting in movies and on television, notably in the title role of a 1955 TV production of Eugene O’Neill’s play The Emperor Jones.

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Davis and Dee partnered on Broadway again in the acclaimed Purlie Victorious (1961), a play written by Davis and later adapted for the screen as Gone Are the Days! (1963), which also starred the couple, and as the Broadway musical Purlie (1970). On screen, Davis played a priest who is attacked by the Ku Klux Klan in Otto Preminger’s The Cardinal (1963) and a Jamaican soldier in Sidney Lumet’s The Hill (1965), set in a British military prison. He also had recurring roles on the TV series Car 54, Where Are You (1961–63) and The Defenders (1961–65) and starred on Broadway in the musical comedy The Zulu and the Zayda (1965–66).

Davis directed and wrote the films Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), based on a novel by Chester Himes, and Countdown at Kusini (1976). The latter, an attempt to present a more positive image of black characters than those seen in blaxploitation movies, featured Davis and Dee in the lead roles. Davis returned to Broadway in 1986 to star in I’m Not Rappaport. He later played a coach in School Daze (1988), the first of several Spike Lee movies, including Do the Right Thing (1989); Jungle Fever (1991), in which Dee also appeared; and Malcolm X (1992), in which he reenacted the real-life eulogy he had given for the fallen civil rights leader. Davis also spoke at the funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968.

Davis continued to work into the 21st century, combining his acting pursuits with writing and civil rights campaigning. His later credits included the TV movie Miss Evers’ Boys (1997), the Spike Lee films Get on the Bus (1996) and She Hate Me (2004), and a recurring character in 2004–05 on the series The L Word. The recipients of numerous honours, Davis and Dee were jointly awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1995 and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2004.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Ossie Davis

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