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Topics: Walter Royal Davis

Walter Royal Davis was a self-made millionaire and UNC trustee whose name adorns the Davis Library.

Born in Elizabeth City in 1920, Davis didn’t attend college. He became a truck driver delivering oil after graduation and eventually built an oil refinery business. When UNC began selling public utilities, Davis, as chairman of the trustees, lobbied to keep that money at UNC instead of distributing it evenly throughout the UNC system. The money was used to fund the construction of Davis Library and the Health Sciences Library. It also paid for renovations to Wilson Library. Davis’ philanthropic efforts are well-known. The Davis Oral History fund supports the Southern Oral History Program, and Davis donated heavily to the Dean E. Smith Center.

Davis, who died in 2008, also served as a member of the Board of Governors for 10 years. He was the inaugural recipient of the Light on the Hill award and was also awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the William Richardson Davie Award.