[1] In 1868, Davis and Alfred Richardson, also a former slave, were elected to the Georgia House of Representatives from Clarke County.
Later the same year, 25 of 29 African Americans were ejected from office after Georgia's legislature determined that African Americans had no protected right to serve in public office.
[2] Madison Davis had a light complexion and was one of two African-American representatives allowed to continue in office.
He was appointed postmaster of Athens in 1890 by President Benjamin Harrison;[1] making Davis the first African American to serve in that role.
Davis also worked as U.S. Customs Surveyor in Atlanta and was Captain of Relief No.