Roy Davis: Difference between revisions

[[File:Upshaw.jpg|thumb|Congressman [[Congressman Upshaw]]]]

Davis continued to be involved in criminal activities throughout the 1930s and 1940s. He was connected to a scheme in 1938 soliciting money for a fake charity in Indiana and Kentucky in which his brother Dan Davis and four women from his church were arrested in Newport, Kentucky.<ref>{{cite news|title=Minister Arrested|date=October 11, 1938|publisher=The Cincinnati Enquirer}}</ref> In 1939 law enforcement from Arkansas attempted to extradite Davis related to charges of theft of an automobile and a murder in Arkansas. Davis was already out on bond due to charges in Indiana at the time. Davis was located by law enforcement in Kentucky who extradited him to Arkansas. Davis plead with Kentucky authorities claiming he would be lynched by enemies if he was extradited. In Arkansas Davis spent some time in prison.<ref>{{cite news|title=Extradition|publisher=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=January 14, 1939}}</ref>

After leaving prison in November 1942, Davis and fellow KKK member, former [[Congressman Upshaw]], began working together in California.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=The San Bernardino County Sun|date=February 20, 1944|title=Orphanage Benefactor Questioned}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Orphange School At Upload Slated To Open Sept. 15|publisher=The San Bernardino County Sub|date=August 8, 1943}}</ref> They set up an organization to collect money to open an orphanage. Davis was accused to stealing money from the charity in 1944 when they failed to use the collections for their stated purpose. He was arrested on three charges of grand theft, petty theft, illegal possession of firearms, and impersonating an FBI agent.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=The San Bernardino County|title=Accused Pastor Demands Writ|date=April 27, 1944}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Minister Charged|publisher=Nevada State Journal|date=March 15, 1944}}</ref> The charges were dropped after Davis had his associates returned funds to several donors.<ref>{{cite news|title=Two Counts Are Dropped After Court Hearing|date=May 6, 1944|publisher=The San Bernardino County}}</ref> Escaping charges yet again, Davis returned to holding revival meetings and KKK recruiting.

By 1950, Davis was part of the executive committee of Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce in Texas. Davis also remained active as a revivalist during the 1950s. He was working with multiple churches to hold revivals, including the Pentecostal Assemblies of God. Davis reported that he had a large tent he traveled with to preach from. The William Branham Campaign team published an article publicizing Davis and his revivals in ''Voice of Healing'' in October 1950.<ref name = "voh">{{cite book|title=Wm Branham's First Pastor|date=October 1950|publisher=Voice Of Healing|page=14}}</ref> Davis was also present and participated in Branham Campaign events during the 1950s and was publicly endorsed by Branham. Davis continued to visit Branham campaign meetings, and be endorsed by Branham multiple times through the early 1960s.<ref name = "tjc">{{cite book|title=Then Came Jesus|date=April 7, 1957|author=Branham, William}}</ref>

Davis became president of the Oak Cliff White Citizens Council in Dallas Texas during the 1950s which he used as a platform to oppose racial integration.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pro, Con Put Before Board Meetings|date=June 26, 1958|publisher=Dallas Morning News}}</ref> In 1958, Davis was known by law authorities to be Imperial Wizard of the Knights of the Flaming Sword in Texas, a position he had been holding for some time. Internal friction in the Klan led to issues between Davis and others KKK organizations.<ref name = "kkkmvs"/> According to police investigation, during 1958 Davis had angered other klan members "over handling of Klan funds."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=123128|title=Record Number 124-90123-10054" JFX Assassination|publisher=Mary Ferrell Foundation|date=March 5, 1962|author=FBI}}</ref> Opponents burned a cross in Davis's yard prompting Davis to call the police. During questioning by police, Davis said he had been a KKK member for 45 years.  He told the authorities that he was second in command of the national KKK organization at the time.<ref name = "kkkmvs">{{cite news|title=KKK's Membership Very Small In Texas| publisher=Dallas Morning News| date=February 11, 1961|page=5}}</ref>

Later in 1958 Davis was offered formal leadership of the Texas branch of the KKK headed by Imperial Wizard Eldon Edwards, which Davis accepted becoming KKK Grand Dragon of Texas. As official leader in Texas, Davis continued to champion efforts to halt integration of schools and support continued racial segregation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Minister May Take Over Klan|publisher=Corsicana Daily|date=March 28, 1958}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Retired Preacher Claims Bid To Top Dallas Klan Post|publisher=Corsicana Daily|date=March 28, 1958}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Pro, Con Put Before Board Meet|publisher=Dallas Morning News|date=June 26, 1958}}</ref> Davis was successful in rallying support to halt integration of the Dallas schools that year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dallas Schools Will Remain Segregated|publisher=Dallas Morning News|date=June 26, 1958}}</ref>

By 1959 Davis had been elected leader of the national KKK organization and was reporting himself as National Imperial Wizard of the Original Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and conducting rallies in multiple states. He conducted a public KKK recruitment campaign in Arkansas during May.<ref name = "kkkmvs"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Klan Groups Are Banished, Leader Says|publisher=Arkansas Gazette|date=May 29, 1959}}</ref> Later that year Davis attended another large rally in Florida where he removed his mask and identified himself again national leader of the KKK.<ref>{{cite news|title=Klansmen Call For Members To Fight Right Issue With Ballots|publisher=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=August 24, 1959}}</ref> Davis was involved in organizing a national KKK convention in Jacksonville, Florida in 1960.<ref>{{cite news|title=Klan Pledges Ballot Fight|publisher=The Odessa American|date=August 24, 1959}}</ref> Davis continued to be involved in fraud cases and was named in a case involving a fraudulent check in July 1960.<ref>{{cite news|title=Odessan Jailed In Check Case|publisher=The Odessa American|date=July 7, 1960}}</ref> Davis endorsed Richard Nixon for President of the United States]] in the election of 1960.<ref>{{cite news|title=Letters From Readers|publisher=Dallas Morning News|date=October 10, 1960}}</ref>

In 1961, Davis continued holding KKK rallies. The KKK adopted the motto "Yesterday, Today and Forever" in KKK promotional material.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ku Klux Klan Stickers Put On Windows|publisher=The Times of Shreveport|date=January 20, 1961}}</ref> Pictures of Davis in the local newspaper showed him demonstrating a Klan salute in full KKK costume. He reported 1000 new members as a result of his campaign in Louisiana.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ku Klux Klan Active In Shreveport|publisher=The Times of Shreveport|date=February 10, 1961}}</ref> A cross was burnt in the front yard of Congressman Overton Brooks during a Davis led KKK rally in Shreveport, Louisiana in February 1961.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cross Burning|publisher=The Times of Shreveport|date=February 9, 1961}}</ref> Davis was questioned by authorities and denied being involved in the cross burning. Shreveport Mayor Clyde Fant declared that local authorities would not tolerate KKK activity and called Davis "unamerican" for intimidating a Congressman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Won't Tolerate KKK Mayor Fant Declares|publisher=The Times of Shreveport|date=February 10, 1961}}</ref> Federal authorities launched an investigation following the cross burning.<ref>{{cite news|title=US Attorney Studies Cross Burning Here|publisher=The Times of Shreveport|date=February 11, 1961}}</ref> Davis was arrested, fingerprinted, and warned by authorities that he was not welcome in Louisiana. Davis claimed that he revoked the charter of the KKK unit in Shreveport for conducting the cross burning without his permission.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dallas Resident Questioned Over KKK Activities|date=April 7, 1961|publisher=Dallas Morning News}}</ref> Video footage of Davis was recorded leading anti-communist protests at the [[Burl Ives]] concert on December 30, 1961.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwk8GaAv7gk|publisher=youtube|author=Southern Methodist University|date=December 30, 1961|title=Burl Ives And Protestors At The Dallas Theater Center}}</ref>

Davis continued to be deeply involved in KKK activities following his runs-ins with police, and came under deep scrutiny again following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas in November 1963. Davis had been living in Dallas for several years and was running his faction of the KKK from there. Davis was named in an investigation by the United States Secret Service as being suspected of authoring a pamphlet entitled ''J.F.K Wanted For Treason'' shortly before the assassination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/609411|title=File Number Co-2-34030: Assassination of President Kennedy|date=December 6, 1963|publisher=United States National Archives}}</ref>