June 5, 1973: Doris A. Davis defeated incumbent Compton Mayor Douglas Dollarhide. By doing so, she became the first African-American woman mayor of a metropolitan city in the United States. However, after 4 years as mayor, she did not seek re-election.

Eight years earlier, in 1965, Davis defeated incumbent Clyde Harland to become Compton’s first African American City Clerk.

In 1986, Davis unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the California State Assembly, 54th District. She finished third in the Democratic primary.

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

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