Governors State making history with The HistoryMakers

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By Zion Banks, Editor, the Triad

Doctoral student Mike Davis is taking lessons from the past to better his opportunities for a future in nonprofit administration – while making history himself. 

A veteran U.S. Navy hospital corpsman (combat medic) who received the Purple Heart, Mike is examining gaps in support for African American veterans as part of the Interdisciplinary Leadership program at Governors State University (GovState). Last year, Mike used The HistoryMakers Digital Archive (THMDA) – the single largest collection of African American first-person oral histories in the world –  to explore his topic. 

The HistoryMakers Digital Archive

With over 3,000 interviews documenting the untold personal stories of both well-known and unsung African Americans who have made significant contributions to American life, history, and culture, The HistoryMakers Collection is a treasure trove of insights, career paths, role models, and perspectives. Among those interviewed are pre-presidential Barack Obama; Baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Banks; and  Academy Award nominee Laurence Fishburne. GovState alumnae Peggy Montes also has an archived interview discussing her work as chairperson of the DuSable Museum of African American History Board of Trustees. 

Mike said he listened to about 100 HistoryMakers’ war stories from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam among others. Interviews with military leaders, policymakers, and nonprofit organizers helped him write his dissertation, led by doctoral advisor, Erica Ceka, assistant professor in GovState’s College of Arts and Sciences. Mike will be defending his dissertation in May.

History Influences Pedagogy

Ceka is the recipient of The HistoryMakers Digital Archive 2025-2026 Faculty Innovations in Pedagogy & Teaching Fellowship Award of $7,500. The fellowship is designed to foster classroom innovation and teaching and to diversify curricula while furthering student learning and research skills. Award recipients demonstrate how they incorporate the archive into their curriculum and present findings at national and international conferences.

A native of Eastern Europe, Ceka said she had limited knowledge of African American history and integrating The HistoryMakers Digital Archive into her teaching helped her learn what history books left out.

“The archive contains first-hand knowledge about past and current events that either cannot be found in our textbooks or that challenge the narratives presented in these books,” Ceka said.

Now, she wants to share the rare and rich resource with more faculty and students across the predominantly Black campus. In 2025, about 30 of Ceka’s students researched the archive for their projects, however one student took the lead.

A GovState First

“Mike is a history maker. He’s the first student at GovState to use The HistoryMakers Collection for a dissertation,” Ceka said with pride.

As a veteran, Mike has his own notable story to share.

Mike joined the U.S. Navy after he left college due to personal issues. Trained to provide medical care to soliders,  Mike completed two tours in Afghanistan in three years, sustaining “invisible wounds” during both tours and receiving the prestigious Purple Heart.  After his last tour, Mike enrolled in a distance learning program for health care management at Southern University, Carbondale.

In 2015, Mike left the military after almost seven years and pursued a graduate degree in conflict resolution at Dominican University. He works for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  

Passion for Veterans

He said his passion for serving veterans seeking health and social services emerged while he served in the Navy, and since returning to civilian life, he has been supporting veterans through his work with the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

This work inspired Mike to launch Corpsman Up Foundation in 2021 with a mission to provide services for veterans – especially female warriors.

“I want to build a veteran support agency that offers employment, housing and health care to returning service members with the goal to build medical clinic for female veterans. I want to help support their unique health care needs,” he said, adding he plans to start home care services summer 2026.

‘The Truth’

In 2022, Mike enrolled at GovState to get a doctorate degree and be able to advocate for the policy changes for veteran support.

Listening to The HistoryMakers’ stories validated his experience as a Black man and veteran once he returned home from active duty.

“Even then, there were a lot of disparities in access for African American veterans in employment, housing, and healthcare,” said Mike. “The veterans weren’t allowed to be seen at VA hospitals and also didn’t have access to the (training and education benefits of the) GI bill.”

Mike said he hopes others will take time to listen to The HistoryMakers’ stories and learn from voices being hushed today.

“The HistoryMakers is the truth that has been hidden. You can’t say this didn’t happened because we have these witnesses.”

Laura Pohl contributed to this story.