Man breaks race barrier as a sheriff

He won in a county carried by John McCain.

Beacon Journal

AKRON — All the obstacles were in place for Walter L. Davis III.

Everyday life in the projects of East Akron, his large family left fatherless by murder, his failing personal battle to cage his youthful anger.

He toed the line at home, where his hardworking mother ruled with a firm hand over her five children.

But on the streets, Davis let loose his frustration, almost becoming an urban warrior marching to battle.

Davis said his life took a turn at East High and Joy Park, where he found direction and discipline in the sport of wrestling, with a coach who made a lifelong impression on the lost teenager.

This month, the kid who once fought on the streets of South Arlington made history. Davis was sworn in as Ohio’s first elected black county sheriff.

He did so in affluent Delaware County, on the same ballot where John McCain rolled over Barack Obama.

The coincidence of Davis’ ceiling-breaker isn’t lost with today’s inauguration of Obama as the country’s first black president.

“I think [Obama] will tell you, as I will . . . there was no sign-up sheet for which line you want to stand in: a white line, an Indian line, an Asian line, an African-American line,” Davis said.

“I’m fortunate to have an opportunity to continue to serve in this capacity. I am truly blessed. I look at this as an opportunity to empower a lot of people to be better at doing what it is that we should be doing: public service.”

None of it might have happened, Davis said, if not for the influence of his mother, Brenda “Smoke” Coleman-Grant, and his direction-changing relationship with veteran Joy Park recreation coach and mentor Jim Robinson.

Davis and his four siblings were reared by Grant at a housing project at Arlington and Milton streets on the city’s East Side. His father, Walter Davis II, was 26 when he was murdered. The future sheriff was about 6 years old.

His mother worked various jobs — waitressing, cleaning homes — to keep her children fed and dressed. Davis said his mother’s work ethic stays with him to this day.