Dr. Allison Davis was one of the most influential social anthropologists and educators of his day. He was one of the first African-Americans granted tenure by a non-historically black academic institution. At the time of his death, he was the John Dewey Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. He challenged the cultural bias of standardized intelligence tests and fought for the understanding of the human potential beyond racial class and caste. His work helped end legalized racial segregation and contributed to contemporary thought on valuing the capabilities of youth from diverse backgrounds.

During the Johnson and Nixon administrations, Dr. Davis served as a member of the President's Commission on Civil Rights and as vice chairman of the Department of Labor's Commission on Manpower Retraining. He was a member of the Conference to Insure Civil Rights in 1965 and the White House Task Force on the Gifted in 1968.