Essie Davis Morgan (December 31, 1919 – February 27, 1990) was an American social worker. She received the

Federal Woman's Award The Federal Woman's Award, also known as the Federal Women's Award, was given by the United States Civil Service Commission from 1961 until 1976. The Federal Woman's Award was established by Barbara Bates Gunderson in 1960, while she was serving on ...

in 1971, for her work on community services for disabled veterans.

Early life

Essie Mae Davis was born in Georgia, the daughter of Kince Charles Davis and Laura Jane Cooper Davis. Her father worked in railroad construction. Actor

Ossie Davis Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He and his wife were named to the NAACP ...

and chemist

William Conan Davis William Conan Davis (August 22, 1926 - March 16, 2022) was a professor emeritus and was chair of natural sciences at St. Philip's College in San Antonio, Texas. The William C. Davis Science Building is named in his honor. He is best known for ...

were two of her brothers. She graduated from

Alabama State College Alabama State University (ASU) is a public historically black university in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, ASU is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. History Alabama State University was founded in 1867 as the Lin ...

, and earned a master's degree in social work at

Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Clark Atlanta is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Southern United States. Founde ...

Career

Davis worked at the

Veterans Administration The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers and ...

Hospital in

Tuskegee, Alabama Tuskegee () is a city in Macon County, Alabama, United States. It was founded and laid out in 1833 by General Thomas Simpson Woodward, a Creek War veteran under Andrew Jackson, and made the county seat that year. It was incorporated in 1843. ...

, where she worked on community projects involving veterans with psychiatric disabilities and veterans who required

dialysis Dialysis may refer to: *Dialysis (chemistry), a process of separating molecules in solution **Electrodialysis, used to transport salt ions from one solution to another through an ion-exchange membrane under the influence of an applied electric pote ...

. In 1965 she joined the social work staff at the Veterans' Administration (VA) offices in Washington, D.C. She was named chief of Community Services, then chief of Rehabilitation and Staff Development in the VA's Spinal Cord Injury Service, and manager of the Washington, D.C. regional office. She was the first Black woman to head a regional office of the VA. She retired in 1986. Morgan won the Federal Woman's Award in 1971, "for her outstanding and original work in developing the social and emotional aspects of the care and treatment of veteran patients and their families." She also received honors from the

Paralyzed Veterans of America The Paralyzed Veterans of America is a veterans' service organization in the United States of America, founded in 1946. The organization holds 33 chapters and 70 National Service Offices in the United States and Puerto Rico. It is based in Washin ...

. Morgan was recognized as a national authority on community services and rehabilitation for veterans with spinal cord injuries. She gave workshops at VA facilities across the United States, presented at professional conferences, and published her research and policy findings in academic journals, including ''

Rehabilitation Psychology Rehabilitation psychology is a specialty area of psychology aimed at maximizing the independence, functional status, health, and social participation of individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions. Assessment and treatment may inclu ...

'' and ''

Journal of the National Medical Association The National Medical Association (NMA) is the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States. The NMA is a 501(c)(3) national professional and scientific organization repr ...

''. She co-wrote a chapter for Joseph Stubbins, ed., ''Social and Psychological Aspects of Disability: A Handbook for Practitioners'' (1977).

Personal life and legacy

Essie Davis married

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

veteran William Spencer Morgan in 1949. They had two children. He died in 1984. Morgan died from a brain tumor in 1990, aged 70 years, in Washington, D.C. Her gravesite is with her husband's, in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

. The Essie Morgan Excellence Award (later the Essie Morgan Lectureship) was established later that year by the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, in her memory.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Essie Davis 1919 births 1990 deaths American social workers People from Waycross, Georgia Atlanta University alumni Arlington National Cemetery Alabama State University alumni