Rep. Sewell Honors the Life and Legacy of Attorney J. Mason Davis on the House Floor

Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) spoke on the House Floor to honor the life and legacy of Attorney J. Mason Davis, a pioneering attorney and civic leader from Birmingham, Alabama, who passed away on April 4, 2026, at the age of 90. Funeral services will take place the weekend of Friday, April 17. Public viewing hours are scheduled for Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Davenport and Harris Funeral Homes, and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Boutwell Auditorium.

Watch on YouTube here.

Rep. Sewell: I rise today to honor the extraordinary life, legacy, and service of J. Mason Davis, an attorney from Alabama, a towering figure in Alabama's legal community, and a steadfast advocate for justice, equality, and human dignity.

Mr. Davis passed away on April 4, 2026, at the age of 90, a profound loss for Alabama and for all who believe in the power of the law to advance fairness and opportunity.

Mr. Davis pursued his education with distinction and determination, graduating from Talladega College and later earning his law degree from Howard University School of Law.

Mr. Davis then returned to Alabama. He entered a legal landscape defined by segregation and entrenched inequality. Rather than accept those conditions, he challenged them. He became one of the first Black attorneys to practice in Birmingham's courts, and he used his skill, courage, and conviction to represent individuals and communities who had long been denied a voice.

Beyond the courtroom, Mr. Davis was a mentor, a teacher, a bridge-builder. He served in leadership roles at one of Alabama's most respected law firms, and helped open doors of opportunity for young attorneys to follow in his footsteps.

His contributions were numerous. Alabama is a better place because J. Mason Davis lived, worked, and served there. The legal profession is better because he insisted that it live up to its highest ideals. And our nation is better because he never stopped believing in the possibility of a more just and inclusive society.

To his family, friends, colleagues, and all who he shaped by his wisdom and generosity, we extend our deepest condolences. May they find comfort in knowing that his legacy endures in the laws that he changed, in the lives that he touched, and in the generation he led.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the extraordinary life and legacy of J. Mason Davis, an Alabama icon and a national treasure.

###