Rennie Davis
Rennie Davis (Rennard Cordon Davis) was an American anti-war activist born on May 23, 1940, in Lansing, Michigan. He grew up in Berryville, Virginia. His father, John C. Davis, worked in Washington, D.C., and his mother, Dorothy, was a teacher. He studied at Oberlin College and later earned a master’s degree from the University of Illinois.
In the 1960s, Davis joined Students for a Democratic Society and led their community organizing project in Ann Arbor. He became a leading figure in the anti–Vietnam War movement and helped organize protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He was injured when police clashed with protesters in Grant Park, suffering a concussion.
Davis was one of the defendants in the Chicago Eight (later called the Chicago Seven) trial, charged with conspiracy and other offenses related to the protests. He was found guilty of inciting to riot and sentenced to five years, but his conviction was overturned on appeal. During his testimony in 1970, he spoke about the violence of the Vietnam War and his reasons for protesting.
In the early 1970s, Davis became involved with Guru Maharaj Ji (Prem Rawat) and traveled as a spiritual lecturer. He also became a venture capitalist and founded the Foundation for a New Humanity to support new technologies and personal development. He appeared on several TV programs and advised companies on strategy.
Davis returned to Chicago for the 1996 Democratic National Convention and spoke about progressive causes. He was married to Kirsten Liegmann.
Rennie Davis died on February 2, 2021, in Berthoud, Colorado, at age 80 after being diagnosed with lymphoma two weeks earlier.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:33 (CET).