Benjamin O . Davis , Sr . Brigadier General Benjamin Oliver Davis , Sr . ( 1877 or 1880 – November 26 , 1970 ) was the first African - American general officer in the United States Army . He was the father of Air Force General Benjamin O . Davis , Jr . Early life . Benjamin Oliver Davis was born in Washington , D . C . , the third child of Louis P . H . Davis and Henrietta ( née Stewart ) Davis . Biographer Marvin Fletcher has presented evidence that Davis was born in May 1880 , citing a June 1880 census document . Fletcher concludes that Davis lied about his age so that he could enlist in the Army without the permission of his parents . The birth date that appears on Davis ' s gravestone at Arlington National Cemetery is July 1 , 1877 , the date he reported to the Army . Davis attended M Street High School in Washington where he participated in the school ' s cadet program . During his senior year of high school he took some classes at Howard University . His father , a messenger for the Interior Department , and his mother , a nurse , urged him to enroll in college after high school . Against his parents ' wishes he determined to take a military career . Early career . After graduating high school , in response to the start of the Spanish - American War , Davis entered the military service on July 13 , 1898 , as a temporary first lieutenant in the 8th United States Volunteer Infantry , an all - black unit . This regiment was stationed at Chickamauga Park , Georgia , from October 1898 until the unit was disbanded in March 1899 . During the war , Davis briefly served in Company D , 1st Separate Battalion of the Washington D . C . National Guard . Davis was mustered out on March 6 , 1899 , and on June 18 , 1899 , he enlisted as a private in Troop I , 9th Cavalry Regiment ( one of the original Buffalo Soldier regiments ) , of the Regular Army . At his post in Fort Duchesne , Utah , he served first as the troop ' s clerk and later as squadron sergeant major through 1900 . In late 1900 , Davis ' s unit was commanded by Lieutenant Charles Young , the only African - American officer serving in the US military at that time . Young encouraged Davis ' s ambition to become an officer . Young tutored Davis in all of the subjects that were covered in the officer candidate test , especially mathematics which had been Young ' s most difficult subject at the United States Military Academy at West Point . In early 1901 Davis passed the test at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , his highest score coming in the math section . ( A second African American , John E . Green , passed the test along with 10 other soldiers . ) On February 2 , 1901 , Davis was commissioned a second lieutenant of Cavalry in the Regular Army . In the spring of 1901 , Troop I was posted overseas to serve in the Philippine – American War . In August 1901 , Davis was assigned to Troop F , 10th Cavalry , where he assumed the duties of a second lieutenant . Troop F returned to the US in August 1902 . Davis was then stationed at Fort Washakie , Wyoming , where he also served for several months with Troop M . In September 1905 , he was assigned to Wilberforce University in Ohio as Professor of Military Science and Tactics , a post that he filled for four years . In November 1909 , shortly after being ordered to Regimental Headquarters , 9th Cavalry , Davis was reassigned for duty to Liberia . He left the United States for Liberia in April 1910 , and served as a military attaché reporting on Liberia ' s military forces until October 1911 . He returned to the United States in November 1911 . In January 1912 , Davis was assigned to Troop I , 9th Cavalry , stationed at Fort D . A . Russell , Wyoming . In 1913 , the 9th Cavalry was assigned to patrol the Mexican - United States border . In February 1915 , Davis was again assigned to Wilberforce University as Professor of Military Science and Tactics . From 1917 to 1920 , Davis was assigned to the 9th Cavalry at Fort Stotsenburg , Philippine Islands , as supply officer , commander of 3rd Squadron , and then of 1st Squadron . He reached the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel , but returned to the United States in March 1920 with the rank of captain . Davis was assigned to the Tuskegee University , Alabama , as the Professor of Military Science and Tactics from 1920 to 1924 . He then served for five years as an instructor with 2nd Battalion , 372nd Regiment , Ohio National Guard , in Cleveland , Ohio . In September 1929 , Davis returned to Wilberforce University as Professor of Military Science and Tactics . He was assigned to the Tuskegee Institute in the early part of 1931 , and remained there for six years as Professor of Military Science and Tactics . During the summer months of 1930 to 1933 , Davis escorted pilgrimages of World War I Gold Star Mothers and Widows to the burial places of their loved ones in Europe . In August 1937 , Davis returned to Wilberforce University as Professor of Military Science and Tactics . Davis was assigned to the 369th Regiment , New York National Guard , during the summer of 1938 , and took command of the regiment a short time later . Davis was promoted to Brigadier General on October 25 , 1940 , becoming the first African - American general in the United States Army . World War II . Davis became Commanding General of 4th Brigade , 2nd Cavalry Division at Fort Riley , Kansas , in January 1941 . About six months later , he was assigned to Washington , D . C . as an assistant in the Office of the Inspector General . While serving in the Office of the Inspector General , Davis also served on the Advisory Committee on Negro Troop Policies . From 1941 to 1944 , Davis conducted inspection tours of African - American soldiers in the United States Army . From September to November 1942 and again from July to November 1944 , Davis made inspection tours of African - American soldiers stationed in Europe . On November 10 , 1944 , Davis was reassigned to work under Lieutenant General John C . H . Lee as Special Assistant to the Commanding General , Communications Zone , European Theater of Operations . He served with the General Inspectorate Section , European Theater of Operation ( later the Office of the Inspector General on Europe ) from January through May 1945 . While serving in the European Theater of Operations , Davis was influential in the proposed policy of integration using replacement units . Later career . After serving in the European Theater of Operations for more than a year , Davis returned to Washington , D . C . as Assistant to the Inspector General . In 1947 he was assigned as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army . In this capacity , he was sent to Liberia in July 1947 as a representative of the United States for the African country ' s centennial celebration . On July 20 , 1948 , after fifty years of military service , Davis retired in a public ceremony with President Harry S . Truman presiding . From July 1953 through June 1961 , he served as a member of the American Battle Monuments Commission . Davis died on November 26 , 1970 , at Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Chicago , Illinois , and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery . In 1997 , the U . S . Postal Service issued a 32 cent stamp honoring Davis . Personal life . Davis married Elnora Dickerson in 1902 — the two had known each other as neighbors for many years . Their first child was born in 1905 : daughter Olive Davis . A son was born in 1912 : Benjamin O . Davis , Jr . In early 1916 a second daughter was born , but Davis ' s wife died a few days later from complications of childbirth . The daughter was named for her : Elnora Davis . Without a mother for the children , Davis relied upon the grandparents in Washington , D . C . , for childcare while he was serving a tour of duty in the Philippines . In 1919 Davis married Sarah " Sadie " Overton , an English teacher at Wilberforce University . They were married 47 years , the partnership ending at Sadie ' s death on October 25 , 1966 . Davis ' s son became the first black general officer of the United States Air Force in October 1954 . Decorations and honors . General Davis ' U . S . military decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal ( DSM ) and Bronze Star . His DSM medal , awarded by General Order 10 , dated February 22 , 1945 , stated that Benjamin O . Davis was awarded the DSM " for exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility from June 1941 to November 1944 . " The War Department release issued about General Davis ' DSM on February 11 , 1945 , included the following citation : Additionally , Davis was awarded an Honorary Degree of LL . D . from Atlanta University , Atlanta , Georgia . His foreign awards and honors include of the Croix de Guerre with Palm from France and the Grade of Commander of the Order of the Star of Africa from Liberia .