| Summary: | Actor and civil rights activist Ossie Davis was born on December 18, 1917, in Cogdell, Georgia. Davis made his Broadway debut in 1946, in Jeb, where he met his wife and fellow actress, Ruby Dee. Davis went on to perform in many Broadway productions. In 1961, he wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed Purlie Victorious. Davis also wrote and directed numerous films, including Cottonmouth Comes to Harlem and Countdown at Kusini, the first American feature film shot entirely in Africa by black professionals. His films also include Dr. Dolittle and I'm Not Rappaport. Davis was a leading activist in the civil rights era of the 1960s and beyond. Davis received many honors and awards. He and his wife published a joint autobiography, With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together. Davis passed away on February 4, 2005 at age 88.
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