2009
Willie Roscoe Davis
Washington D.C.
Willie Roscoe Davis (1933-2001) was born in Nash County, North Carolina. In 1963, he attended Phelps Vocational School in Washington, DC, receiving his apprentice and barbering license. He apprenticed at Duvall’s Barber Services. In 1965, he received his Master Barber License. He further trained at Calvanade Beauty Academy in 1966. In 1968, he became owner/operator of Davis Barber and Beauty Services as well as receiving his Cosmetology Manager’s License.
In 1986, Roscoe was appointed by the mayor of Washington, DC to serve on the Barber and Cosmetology Board, where he also served as chairperson until 2001. He assigned several board committees such as: the Braiders, Proctor Examinations, Candidate Handbook revisions, Instructor’s Training and Specialty License committees. His dedication to the years of hard work to assist in promulgating first-time regulation allowed for many new license categories in the District of Columbia. He was instrumental in working with the city to set up a barbering program for government institutions for inmates seeking training in barbering. As a result of his efforts and government support, he and several other barbers provided barber training at Lorton Correctional Institution. He dedicated his time and efforts to ensure that whoever wanted training could receive it throughout the inmate population.
Roscoe took personal pride and concern whenever issues were raised with paperwork completions, scheduling and his role as an examiner, mentor and role model to everyone seeking to better their lives through the barbering profession. His vision, hard work and passion to see that others had a second chance in life were always on his mind in the barbering industry.
Roscoe was married to Willie Myrtle Casey in 1955 until her passing in 1973. They had two boys and one girl. In addition to the barbering profession, he owned and managed the Happy Tot Child Development Center and had college credits in early childhood education and was working on his associate degree in early childhood education in 2001 before his death at age 68.