Mawuli Mel Davis

Mawuli Mel Davis, the founding partner of the Davis Bozeman Johnson Law, is an African-Centered Civil Rights Attorney, Human Rights Organizer, and Author based in Atlanta. Davis Bozeman Johnson Law is one of Georgia’s largest African-American-owned law firms with offices in Savannah, Statesboro, and Decatur. 

For nearly 30 years, he has been involved in building coalitions, organizing protests, and conducting training to support the Black Liberation Movement. He was a member of the historic “Durban 400” that participated in the United Nations World Conference Against Racism in South Africa, where colonialism and slavery were declared crimes against humanity. He played a key organizing role in ending “cash bonds” in Atlanta and the removal of the Confederate Monument in Decatur. He has intentionally developed youth empowerment programs as a co-founder of Let Us Make Man, The Black Man Lab, and Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights.

As an attorney, he has represented activists in the Occupy Movement, Moral Monday, and the Black Lives Matter Movement. He has represented victims of police brutality and community members falsely accused of crimes. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy, earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Bowie State University, and a law degree from Georgia State University College of Law.  Mawuli was awarded the 2019 Ben Johnson Public Service Award by Georgia State University College of Law, which is the highest award the College of Law bestows. He has been named a Super Lawyer for ten consecutive years in Atlanta Magazine and received the Justice for All Award by Rolling Out Magazine. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC).

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Following the acquittal of George Zimmerman, he was one of the primary organizers for the march of over 5,000 protestors from the Atlanta University Center to CNN Headquarters.  A photograph of this historic “Respect Black Life” March was captured in Ebony Magazine.  Attorney Davis has had cases covered by various media outlets nationwide, including the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, USA Today, New York Times, NPR Radio,  CNN, TMZ, Time Magazine, and Worldstarhiphop.  Attorney Davis’ diverse television appearances range from serving as a guest commentator on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on CNN to representing recording artist Lil’ Scrappy on VH-1’s Love & Hip Hop. 

Attorney Davis was awarded Father of the Year by Jack & Jill Inc. of Atlanta, Mentor of the Year by the Atlanta Alumni Association of Morehouse College, Father of Distinction by the Concerned Black Clergy, an Outstanding Advocate of the Year by the ACLU, Urban League, Southern Center for Human Rights, Gate City Bar Association, and National Black Prosecutors Association.  The DeKalb Lawyers Association (DLA) named the Mawuli Davis Legal Warrior Award in his honor.  He is a proud member of the Atlanta Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and the DeKalb Chapter of the 100 Black Men of America. Attorney Davis serves on the boards of the Southern Center for Human Rights, Kilombo Academic and Cultural Institute, Just-Georgia, and Walter Rodney Foundation. 

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Recently, Attorney Davis released his first book, We Need You!: Encouraging My Sons’ Generation for Black Liberation, published by Third World Press. Attorney Davis married his childhood sweetheart, activist-educator Jana Johnson-Davis. They have two sons, Kobie Jason and Khari Malcolm.