In 1965, 33-year-old Davis defeated incumbent Clyde Harland to become Compton's first black City Clerk; she won reelection in May 1972 with 83.8% of the vote.

By doing so, she became the first female African American Mayor of a major metropolitan city in the United States.

Davis was succeeded in 1977 by another African-American, Lionel Cade, an accountant and former member of the city council, who also served only one term.

In 1986, Davis unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the California State Assembly, 54th District.

In 2004, Alita Godwin became only the second black woman to serve as Compton City Clerk.