About

Davenport and Harris Funeral Home Incorporated was established in September 12 1899 and is the oldest African American family owned and operated business in the State of Alabama. Charles Morgan "Boss" Harris founder was born in Mobile Alabama on August 3 1871. Charles along with his sister Hattie C. Davenport moved to Montgomery Alabama in 1889. After working at several odd jobs and attending Alabama State Normal School for Colored he began working for the late Henry A. Loveless Undertaking Company. In 1893 Charles M. "Boss" Harris married Mattie Bell Saffold of Selma Alabama. Later in that same year Charles who had by now earned the nickname "Boss" moved with his new bride and his sister Hattie to Birmingham. Upon arrival he began operation of a general store located at 22nd Street and 3rd Avenue North. Recognizing the need for affordable and dignified burial services Charles expanded his business to include a funeral parlor initially called the Charles M. Harris Undertaking Company. At this early stage of the operation bread was sold in one section of the store while caskets were sold in another. It quickly became obvious that Birmingham&aposs black community had more of a need for quality funeral services than for another general store. So it was on September 12 1899 that Charles and his sister Hattie C. Davenport founded Davenport and Harris Funeral Home Inc. The business was operated without interruption until 1924 when Hattie C. Davenport and her children Virgil Davenport and Otis Davenport Council sold their stock to her brother Charles. In 1923 Charles founded the Protective Burial Association to provide affordable burial insurance within the community. This second business endeavor was met with great success and was subsequently renamed Protective Industrial Insurance Company of Alabama also known as PiiCO. Over its history PiiCo served the community with a full range of life insurance products. webassetsD_H_Dual_Pic.jpg Early Davenport & Harris Building Ajoined with PiiCo In 1938 Davenport and Harris Funeral Home was incorporated. The stockholders became Protective Industrial Insurance Company Mattie B. Harris Virgil L. Harris M.H. Davis and Clara Harris Evans. Charles M. Harris passed away in 1938. He was succeeded as president of Davenport and Harris Funeral Home by his son Walter W. Harris an attorney practicing in Cincinnati Ohio. Attending to his dual responsibilities Walter regularly commuted back-and-forth between Birmingham and Cincinnati. Therefore management of the funeral home fell on the shoulders of William E. Sterling Sr. Mr. W.E. Sterling Sr. remained a dedicated General Manager of Davenport and Harris Funeral Home for more than 34 years until his death in 1972. With the untimely death of Walter Harris in 1945 Dr. Charles M. Harris Jr. a physician practicing in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and Jersey City Jersey at the time temporarily assumed the presidency of the funeral home. In 1946 the presidency of Davenport & Harris was turned over to Mrs. Mattie B. Harris the wife of founder Charles M. Harris and the mother of two previous presidents. Mrs. Mattie B. Harris remained president of Davenport & Harris Funeral Home Inc. until her death in 1955. After the death of his mother Virgil L. Harris the youngest son of Charles and Mattie simultaneously assumed the office of president and chairman of the board. Virgil would remain in this position for the next 33 years and so it fell upon him to lead Davenport & Harris through the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement. webassetsVL_Harris.jpg Virgil L. Harris President 1955-1988 During Virgil&aposs tenure his wife Wilma C. Ha